Shaw & Smith M3 Vineyard Chardonnay 2019

The Shaw & Smith M3 Vineyard Chardonnay is a regional benchmark Adelaide Hills chardonnay from the very talented duo of Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith. Sleek, mid-weighted and highly contemporary, this modern Australian exemplar has amassed a huge following amongst chardonnay lovers. 

"This is a very concentrated, complex and refined chardonnay that locks in on very intense white peaches, lemons and grapefruit, framed in a wealth of fresh, spicy, young French oak, as well as flinty elements. The palate has mouthwateringly fresh acidity, powering fresh lemon and peach flavors into a long, tautly wound finish."  James Suckling

The 2019 vintage was sourced from the Lenswood, Piccadilly and Lobethal vineyards. The fruit is hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed, fermented and matured on lees in French barriques and puncheons.

"Aiming for elegance, restraint and the ability to age, acid is bright and there’s generosity of flavour. Typically it shows white flowers, citrus, and nectarine notes. The 2019 vintage was defined by tiny yields, great acid levels and warm temperatures. This has produced an M3 of power, persistence and balance. Drink: Now to 2029."  Shaw & Smith

Expert reviews

"Shaw + Smith M3 Chardonnay is in quite exceptional form. Brilliant release. Great intensity both to the palate and the finish and with plenty going on besides. Flint, smoke, grapefruit and stone fruit characters but it's the emphatic energy of the finish that really sets it apart. One sip and I was hooked, convinced, and in its thrall. Drink 2021-2027+"  Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front - 96 points

"This is a very concentrated, complex and refined chardonnay that locks in on very intense white peaches, lemons and grapefruit, framed in a wealth of fresh, spicy, young French oak, as well as flinty elements. The palate has mouthwateringly fresh acidity, powering fresh lemon and peach flavors into a long, tautly wound finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap."  James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com - 96 points

"The clear expression of on-point ripe peach and nectarine fruits is this wine's calling card. A delicate little wrap of oak adds the spice of ginger-nut biscuit with the swell of an appealing creaminess; subtle acidity holds it in balance all the way. Fruit, oak, spice and tang – the whole varietal experience. Drink by 2030."  Tony Love, Halliday Wine Companion - 95 points and Special Value Wine  ★ 

"What a track record the recent M3 vintages have enjoyed. Every egg has been a bird. More importantly, this Shaw + Smith M3 Chardonnay 2019 is just a really tasty drink. What I really like is that it’s actually backed by ripe fruit. Varietal, regional, the whole kitchen sink. Expressive, buttered banana nose and palate, the palate creamy textured but taut to finish, thanks no doubt to the carefully contained MLF, completed with a vein of grapefruit acidity through the finish. Not the anaemic, lean-fruit-and-sulphur- aromas here. Just perfectly poised, pure and correct Chardonnay flavour. A genuine pleasure. Best drinking: now to five years, though will live longer than that."  Andrew Graham, Australian Wine Review - 95 points

"Light, restrained and quite pretty chardonnay with lemon curd, toasted nut, nectarine and nutty oak flavours. Taut and obviously youthful but a pleasure to drink and with obvious cellaring potential. Drink 2020-2026."  Bob Campbell, The Real Review - 93 points

Awards

Special Value Wine – Halliday Wine Companion  ★

About the winery

 Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith 

Shaw & Smith began over a long lunch in 1989 when cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith decided to realise a long held dream to make wine together. Today they own three vineyards in the Adelaide Hills; at Balhannah, Lenswood and Piccadilly, totalling 59 hectares. The vineyards are planted to varieties that perform particularly well in the region, namely Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz.

Shaw & Smiths' first vintage was in 1990 and in 1999 they purchased a property at Balhannah, where they planted vines and built a winery and tasting room in time for the 2000 vintage. The 35 hectare Balhannah vineyard is planted predominantly to Sauvignon Blanc and close-planted Shiraz on property surrounding the winery at 340 - 380m elevation. The soil is free draining sandy loam over red clay with underlying quartzite and shale, with varying amounts of ironstone pebbles.

In 2012, the pair purchased an existing vineyard in the cooler zone of Lenswood, about 10km north west of the winery. The 20 hectare vineyard is at an elevation of 455 – 500m and was planted in 1999. Undulating with east and west facing aspects, the vineyard is planted mainly to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The soils are brown loams over clay with broken shale on the ridges.

In 2019 Shaw & Smith celebrated its 30th anniversary with the purchase of a cool-climate vineyard site in Piccadilly Valley just below the Mt Lofty summit. The land is in the highest, coldest and wettest part of the Adelaide Hills at an altitude of 550 metres. The 4 hectare site has been planted to chardonnay and pinot noir, with vines closely spaced at 11,000 vines per hectare, a density that’s considered the maximum in places like Burgundy and Champagne.

Site selection is particularly important in the Adelaide Hills, with its diversity of altitude, aspect, microclimate, and soil. They also use a number of different clones of each grape variety, which contribute different qualities to the final product.