Brash Higgins BLOOM Chardonnay 2017 is a rare and complex wine from McLaren Vale, modeled after Jura’s “sous voile” technique, where Chardonnay is aged seven years in white Burgundy barrels under a natural yeast veil (“flor”). This extended aging delivers striking aromas of Calvados, toffee apple, vanilla bean, cooked honey, and hints of whisky, layered with orchard fruit, yuzu, frangipane, salty brine, and nutty whiffs. The palate is full-bodied with moderate weight, showing parmesan crust, butterscotch, preserved lemon, and a tight, saline finish, with lively acidity enhancing briny-salty complexity, orange peel, and an explosive nutty aftertaste. Only a very limited number of bottles were produced; the wine scored 96 points from James Suckling and is regarded as a unique Australian unicorn, savory, contemplative, and long-lived.