Brash Higgins ‘Bloom’ Chardonnay 2017

BLOOM is not your average Chardonnay. Aged for a staggering seven years sous voile—under a protective veil of flor yeast—this wine channels the oxidative traditions of the Jura and applies them to McLaren Vale fruit with spectacular results.

Made from Chardonnay grown on the sandy, iron-rich soils of Blewitt Springs, the wine was initially topped for the first couple of years to feed the flor, but was left untouched for the final five, with the barrels turned sideways and sealed tight. It spent an extra six months in stainless steel before bottling to settle and integrate.

What you get in the glass is wild and uncompromising: salted almonds, curry leaf, baked apple, smoked lemon and fresh sourdough crust, wrapped in a savoury, oxidative frame. It’s a textural bomb—intense but not heavy, with a dry, nutty finish that lingers.

If you like Jura whites, Vin Jaune, or just wines with serious personality, BLOOM is a rare Aussie unicorn.