French-Australian wine collection Marchand & Burch has refreshed its Australian line-up with the release of new vintages from the Great Southern region.

The latest additions are Marchand & Burch Mount Barker Chardonnay 2023 and Marchand & Burch Mount Barrow Pinot Noir 2023.

The label was born from a friendship between Burgundian winemaker Pascal Marchand and Jeff Burch, Owner of Western Australian winery Howard Park Wines. After bonding over their shared passion for Pinot Noir, the two vignerons began exchanging knowledge and techniques – from their respective regions which laid the foundation for the wine collection.

The first Australian release was in 2007 and the first release of the French collection was 2008. The Marchand & Burch
label now encompasses a suite of wines from both regions, each reflecting the distinctive terroir of their respective vineyards while showcasing the collaborative spirit of the partnership.

“Lively and passionate discussions between Jeff and Pascal are at the heart of these wines with the collaboration between old-world and new-world creativity contributing to the uniqueness of the collection,” said Marchand & Burch Chief Winemaker Nic Bowen.

“Our primary goal with these two particular wines is to highlight the distinctive terroir of our Mount Barker vineyard, planted in 2005, which is situated on some of the world’s oldest recorded geology with granite landforms and minimal soil disturbance. This terroir offers a stark contrast to Burgundy, hence why Pascal selected these sites for our collection.

“The beauty of these wines lies in the details. It’s been a continual process of fine-tuning oak integration, timings, blends, and methods to craft the ultimate Great Southern Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. With Pascal’s enthusiastic collaboration, we know we’ve created something truly exceptional.”

The two new releases were born from the 2023 vintage, which is remembered for being an exceptional year in the Great Southern. The cool temperatures, paired with dry weather, made for a moderate season that ensured a gentle and even ripening period across all varieties.

The wines are sourced from Howard Park’s Mount Barrow vineyard in the Great Southern’s Mount Barker subregion. They are now available to purchase from marchandburchwines.com.au for RRP $72 and RRP $95, respectively.