Your scribe bought and has been enjoying the top quality M3 Chardonnay 2021 sourced from cool sites in the Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills, Australia vinified and bottled by Shaw + Smith – established in 1989 by cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill-Smith MW.
Impressed by the wonderful reductive style of elegant crisp structured well balanced 2021 Chardonnay stony pure intense fruit both subtle and understated at only 13 abv. Under the radar but refined, matching beautifully with all sorts of seafood dishes including recently some tasty Icelandic Cod.
Last month David Lemire co-CEO made his North America tour from Florida, to Chicago, to Cork Fine Wines in Calgary and finished up with a tasting at Marquis Wine Cellars in Vancouver on May 21, 2025. It was good to connect again with knowledgeable David and obtain further insights from him about their interesting portfolio of excellent wines. Excited to try the new Chardonnay releases. They also showed three other recommended varieties of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir (both 2021 Adelaide Hills and impressive 2021 south facing single vineyard Lenswood planted in 1999 with Clone 114) and Adelaide Hills Shiraz (2021 at 13.5 plus an aged release 2013 at 14). The 2023 M3 Chardonnay Adelaide Hills at 12.5 was the third cool La Nina year (before the hotter 2024 and the warm dry different more adjusted 2025 compressed vintage using increased vine density plantings) but even less full ripeness in this 2023 vintage. Even though picked later it seems not quite as rich, balanced and structured as 2021 with a bit more restraint and minerality than 2022 but more currently charming delicate with lovely softer smoky flavours. Not hard, high acidity but leaner so 2023 will drink well early on but should still age a while as well. Lovely Adelaide Hills styling and as stated on their website another “modern classic”. Particularly noticeable to try the younger 2023 Adelaide Hills next to the 2021 east facing Block 3 & 4 of Lenswood Vineyard Chardonnay planted with Clones Bernard 95 & 76 in 2001 at 500 metres on loam over clay and shale at 4760 vines/ha. that definitely shows more fresh vibrancy, intensity, and structure from that single vineyard but also from the exceptional 2021 vintage. They have 3 Adelaide Hills sites that includes the main Balhannah Vineyard at about 360 metres but watch out for more special Piccadilly Vineyard designations in the future as the vines mature from the highest coolest part of the hills with iron & shiny quartz at very high density planting of over 10,000 vines per hectare. Also, check out their classy more expensive Tolpuddle Chardonnay from the Coal River Valley in cooler Tasmania.
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