2023 JC's Own Freestyler, Barossa

A field blend of chenin blanc, crouchen, semillon and chardonnay, barrel fermented, blended post-ferment. I like this. It's got some sizzle and verve. Waxy lemon, papaya, yellow plum and citrus fruits set on a base of curds and whey with soft spice, grilled nuts, margarita salt and pressed wildflowers. It's saline and sinewy and has a really infectious energy, finishing dry, lemony and slightly wild-eyed. Drink to 2030.

94 points (Special Value) Dave Brookes for Halliday Wine Companion, April 2026

The JC’s Own Freestyler is a vibrant, full-bodied and textural white Barossa blend, and a perfect example of winemaker Jaysen Collins’ playful, small-batch approach, made from fruit grown in multiple sites across the Barossa and Eden Valleys. The 2023 is a blend Chenin Blanc, Crouchen, Chardonnay and Semillon, with the hand-harvested grapes were trodden by foot and left on stalks and skins for 24 hours before being pressed to seasoned barriques for fermentation with indigenous yeasts. The wine then rested for 24 months on lees before it was bottled without fining or filtration.

The wine has muscles to tackle fermented, fiery and herbaceous flavours. Try with popcorn chicken sprinkled with Sichuan salt and pepper and tossed with crispy Thai Basil or charred cauliflower and pepita tacos with salsa Macha and pickled red onions.

About this producer

JC’s Own is Massena-founding winemaker Jaysen Collins’ negociant project that sees him working with sustainably managed vineyards to produce his boundary pushing lo-fi wines that favour indigenous yeasts and low sulphur throughout, bottled without fining or filtration.