Pirramimma Heritage Chardonnay 2024

This Heritage Chardonnay showcases the textural, medium-bodied style that bridges the gap between white and red wine preferences. The oak treatment creates rich flavours of toast, crème brûlée, and hazelnut that provide the weight and complexity red wine lovers crave. McLaren Vale's warm climate allows the chardonnay grapes to develop the ripe, concentrated character that mimics the satisfying mouthfeel typically found in quality reds.

McLaren Vale's Mediterranean climate and diverse soils create ideal conditions for producing rich, textural chardonnays like this Heritage bottling. The region's warm days and cool sea breezes from the nearby coast help maintain acidity while allowing full flavour development. This terroir contributes to the wine's ability to balance the ripe peach notes with the structured, spicy elements that make McLaren Vale chardonnays distinctive from their cooler climate counterparts.

The medium-bodied, oak-influenced profile makes this chardonnay incredibly versatile with rich, creamy dishes that complement its textural weight. Think roasted chicken with herbs, lobster thermidor, or mushroom risotto where the wine's toast and hazelnut notes can harmonise with similar flavours in the food. The citrus and melon undertones also provide enough freshness to cut through butter-based sauces and soft cheeses.

Pirramimma has built its legendary status through decades of consistent quality and distinctive regional expression, particularly from their McLaren Vale vineyards. While they're renowned for their cult-following red wines, their white wine program demonstrates the same commitment to showcasing terroir and traditional winemaking techniques. The 4.0 Vivino rating across all vintages reflects their ability to maintain quality standards that have earned recognition from both critics and wine lovers alike.

The 2024 vintage represents optimal growing conditions that allowed Pirramimma to craft a chardonnay with perfect balance between fruit ripeness and natural acidity. This recent vintage showcases the immediate appeal of young chardonnay while possessing the structure to develop additional complexity over the next few years. The combination of ripe peach flavours with spicy, textural elements suggests this vintage captured the essence of what makes McLaren Vale chardonnay so distinctive.