Voyager continues elite journey

THE transformation of Margaret River’s Voyager Estate to the elite among the region’s great estates has continued with the release of three chardonnays, with more to come.

The trio provide a compelling endorsement of the decision a few years ago to move to organically farmed vineyards and define specific sections for separate treatment and release.

Voyager sits in the dress circle for southern Margaret River chardonnay, and with near neighbours Leeuwin Estate and Xanadu is consistently producing a distinctively precise and elegant style of chardonnay very much in the modern style for the variety.

Later this year, Voyager will also release its top-drawer MJW chardonnay and two premium cabernets, which quite frankly, will knock your socks off.

While the range of chardonnays has been refined, the result is that the wines have been elevated at all levels, including the Estate range and the rebadged Coastal, previously called Girt by Sea.

It is all part of an ongoing program that filters through into all levels.

And in many ways, it reflects the excellent work of previous winemaker Steve James, who has now moved back into his real passion of viticulture, and Travis Lemm, who moved into the role of chief winemaker after 14 years at Voyager.

While the vineyard has been gradually moving to organic certification, other changes in the winery have naturally followed with less new oak and older, large format oak, which continues towards a more precise reflection of fruit quality and vineyard.

The wines featured this week are quite brilliant.

My favourite is the Brookvale Block 6, which is based on Dijon clones, rather than the traditional Gingin clones.

Clonal differences are becoming increasingly important, allowing winemakers to create different styles based on suitability for specific vineyard sites.

The newer Burgundy clones generally produce a finer style of wine with a leaner profile.

But rest assured, the traditional and outstanding Gingin clone remains integral to the Margaret River chardonnay style.

But the Estate chardonnay, which captures so much about the exceptional 2020 vintage, is probably the best yet.

It’s as good a $50 chardonnay as I have tasted.

• Ray Jordan is one of Australia’s most experienced and respected wine journalists, contributing to newspapers and magazines for more than 40 years. In 2017, he co-authored The Way it Was: The History of the early years of the Margaret River Wine Region.