Borachio Fruit Zone Chardonnay 2019

Borachio's Fruit Zone Volleyball is 100% Chardonnay sourced from an organically farmed site in Basket Range, Adelaide Hills. The vineyard sits on a clay-heavy ridge with chunks of ironstone in the soil at roughly 350 metres elevation — a site that, as winemaker Mark Warner notes, has far more in common with the cool hills character of Adelaide Hills than the warmer valley floors below. The grapes are whole-cluster fermented via carbonic maceration in stainless steel with zero forced extraction, then bottled with residual sugar to complete fermentation in bottle — the classic pétillant naturel method. No sulfur is added at any stage; the wine is unfined and unfiltered.

In the glass this is golden-hued with a gentle, persistent bead. The palate is off-dry, with lively acidity keeping the residual sugar in check. Expect tropical fruit — pineapple, golden passionfruit, ripe pear — with a faint salty-mineral edge and a clean, tangy finish. Mark's own tasting shorthand covers it well: tropical juice, pine-lime, and the smell of seaweed on a warm beach.

This is a Chardonnay pet nat that skips the heavy yeast-and-bread character typical of the style. The energetic acidity and the fruit-forward, slightly sweet fizz make it a high-drinkability wine that benefits from being served cold. Pour carefully or open gently — there is live sediment in the bottle.