The Croft vineyard sits in the cool, elevated Adelaide Hills, where Henschke’s Chardonnay benefits from long, slow ripening and the region’s pronounced day-to-night temperature shifts. Planted on sandy loam over ironstone and quartz, the site gives the fruit a naturally taut, mineral character. The 2019 growing season was dry and relatively mild, producing small, concentrated berries while maintaining the acidity that gives this Chardonnay its distinctive precision.
Henschke treats Croft with the same attention to detail as its better-known wines, with whole-bunch pressing followed by fermentation in French oak and extended lees ageing. The 2019 has developed beautifully in bottle, with lemon curd, white peach and grapefruit now joined by roasted hazelnut, brioche and subtle flinty notes. It is finely textured rather than overtly creamy, with a bright citrus core and savoury length. Mature enough to show complexity yet still energetic, it is a particularly elegant expression of cool-climate Adelaide Hills Chardonnay.