Chardonnay

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This opens with a slightly savoury nose with hints of brioche, marzipan and light stone fruit. The palate is fine and pristine, with a subtle savoury, nutty and mealy character, supported by some lees influence. All Gingin clone, planted in 1984 from cuttings sourced from Leeuwin Estate, this is a vineyard of remarkable intensity and purity. Winemaking is deliberately uncomplicated,...

Great Southern

Chardonnay

This has been made into an eminently appealing, current-drinking style of wine. Plenty of those stone fruit characters, certainly on the palate, but there's a nice edge of lemon zip and some crisp acidity which provides balance with the creamy palate. There's a plushness about it, but also that fine elegance, which is symptomatic of that vintage. A neatly crafted...

Swan Valley

Chardonnay

Chardonnay in the Swan Valley can often be underestimated, and yet when you see a wine like this, you've got to question why. This is terrific wine from the Baskerville Vineyard of Upper Reach. The aromas show the influence of barrel fermentation. It's quite spicy, with some nice roasted cashew, stone fruit characters and a subtle creaminess. The palate is...

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

A stunning example of chardonnay off this Mount Barrow vineyard near the Porongurup. All wild yeast fermented using small and large format French oak. It produces a wine that has a distinct point of difference reflecting this excellent cool site. It's quite a tough place to grow grapes, but the end result is something special. In this case, a fine...

Frankland River

Chardonnay

Beautiful example of Mount Barker chardonnay. Comes off the Mount Barrow Vineyard on the edge of the Porongurup. It's a mix of Burgundian clones with a smaller contribution from the richer more powerful Gingin. This cooler site and the clever winemaking certainly contribute to sustaining the purity and pristine character, creating a fine and elegantly designed chardonnay which is a...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Another outstanding wine from this small Margaret River producer. It has an engaging aroma from the outset, with traces of grapefruit and oatmeal, alongside quince paste and a subtle chalk-dust character. The palate is typically powerful, with rich flavours of stone fruit, butterscotch and quince paste. Fine, precise acidity holds everything together, carrying the wine effortlessly to a long, focused...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A beautifully composed chardonnay from this warmer year. Slightly earlier picking before the heat arrived has resulted in a wine of considerable finesse and elegance. Aromas of citrus and grapefruit lead to subtle stone-fruit notes. Earlier picking gives the palate a lovely, delicate edge, while the wine retains the deep-seated power and fruit concentration that are part of its character....

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The early picking in this very warm season in Margaret River perfectly suited chardonnay. In this case, it's provided the basis for the best Ringbolt chardonnay yet released. Lovely aromas of melon and light grapefruit with a subtle quince paste and brioche element. The palate is rich and textured, medium-weight, with good length and a crisp, lingering acidity.

Geographe

Chardonnay

Another excellent example of chardonnay under this label, which has evolved over the years into a wine of greater refinement and finesse, while still using wild fermentation in new and one-year-old oak. But the balance of the oak and the fruit has achieved greater harmony. Lovely aromas of savoury, lightly butterscotch and cashew-like characters. And then a palate which has...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a terrific example of chardonnay from this close-planted block. The aromas have a pronounced lemon crème brûlée character with a slightly saline influence. The palate is tightly wound with a degree of youthful tension, yet there is real power here that will start to release with ageing. Impressive.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a lovely, pure and vibrant young chardonnay. It was fermented and then matured in oak for about nine months. The result is a wine with good varietal definition, vibrant lemon grapefruit characters on the nose and a pristine and crunchy palate with a little stone-fruit creaminess.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Another outstanding wine in this fabulous lineage of Pierro chardonnays. It was a slightly warmer year, yet the wine presents with subtlety and refined elegance. Mealy, light quince paste and crumbly brioche characters and a little nougat. It is remarkably complex even now. Incredible depth and concentration, but with that elegance and linear mouthfeel. These wines age brilliantly.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

An excellent wine from what was an excellent season. The warmer conditions resulted in slightly riper fruit, while this vineyard has produced fruit of wonderful balance and flavour intensity. The nose offers subtle cashew and lemon-scented notes, followed by a palate with a creamy, rich texture, balanced by fine oak and natural acidity that provides lift through to the finish....

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A thoroughly beautiful expression of Margaret River chardonnay. It’s powerful and super intense. On the nose, the influence of barrel fermentation is evident, with the impact of solids adding to its complexity. The palate is so perfectly woven and integrated. A slightly butterscotch, quince and flinty character merge. That dry, savoury and slightly limestone-struck-match character really completes a very good...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

These chardonnays from House of Cards have been elevated in recent years to another level. This is a wonderful example of the style and the vintage. It was whole-bunch pressed and fermented in a mix of 52% new French oak and some concrete. A further 11 months in oak enhanced its layered richness and complexity. Notes of butterscotch and quince...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Medium-bodied, with plenty of persistent flavour. On the nose, there’s a neat mix of nougat and quince, with a little lemon meringue. It all swirls together into a lovely combination. The palate releases a neat mix of oatmeal and lemon pith, with a little grapefruit edginess. Precise, with a long finish.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a beautiful, fruit-driven, vibrant chardonnay displaying lovely melony citrus aromas and deep flavours on its medium-bodied palate. It retains a beautiful vibrancy and energy through the palate. An ideal wine, particularly if you’re not into oak, as this one will fit the bill perfectly. It’s great current drinking.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is such an appealing expression of Wilyabrup chardonnay. It comes from old Jindong vines, and the intensity and power are immediately evident. Aromas of lemon meringue, quince paste, some nice brioche and a splash of lemon draw you in. The palate is delightfully composed and subtle, yet there is plenty of palate length, with a nice savoury finish.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The precise intensity of this fruit from Karridale is captured and highlighted in what is an excellent medium- to light-bodied style with tons of appeal. Aromas of nougat and lemon meringue are quite subtle, and then the palate has a pristine vibrancy, with lovely fruit characters. It was a very good vintage in this region, and this is a compelling...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a high-class, polished chardonnay, impeccably presented from what turned out to be an excellent vintage. On the nose, a swirling mix of nectarine and lemon rind, with subtle nougat complexity. There’s even a faint hint of struck match. The palate is quite rich and textured, but retains a fine acid lift and line, with lovely minerality. An appealing...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

I’ve seen a gradual but significant refinement of this wine over the years, and this is certainly one of the finest. It was well fermented, and the subsequent use of solids has brought complexity, richness and texture. The nose is dominated by lemon pith, grapefruit and white stone fruit characters. The palate is rich and quite lavish, but that fine...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A most elegant and, at the same time, powerful chardonnay from a vintage which produced – well – elegance and power. Aromas of savoury lemon nuances with subtle butterscotch and marzipan character. The palate is texturally pleasing, with a deep and concentrated core that drives with urgency through to a very long finish. Lovely mix of stone fruit with savoury...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

It is utterly beyond me why people are spending many hundreds of dollars on Premier Cru White Burgundy when we have wines like this at home. A wine of complexity and texture, aromas weave through nectarines, struck matches, florals, citrus, honeydew melon, beeswax and peach pits. Oak integration is near immaculate and has almost disappeared into the wine, just leaving...

Great Southern

Chardonnay

A lavish and powerful chardonnay that combines tremendous richness with an underlying elegance. It’s a funkier style, evident immediately on the nose, with a richly textured palate displaying impressive length and power. Around 60% new barriques gives it structure and poise, while plenty of lees stirring over 10 months has contributed to the luxurious texture. There’s also that slightly struck-match,...

Great Southern

Chardonnay

A beautifully complex and intense chardonnay, displaying great savoury subtleties and some slightly funky characters. There is terrific texture and tremendous length, with a slightly chalky savouriness within a tighter frame. The wine was all handpicked and whole-bunch pressed before being fermented in a 1350-litre foudre of Austrian oak. The impact of the solids character is evident, while full malolactic...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

A beautifully expressive and characterful wine with tremendous power and intensity. It delivers lots of vibrant flavours, with a pristine savoury oyster-shell minerality and a distinctive mineral, savoury, brioche-like character. The use of open-grained, larger-format oak, including about 30% new oak, adds texture without compromising the fruit. It’s all cool barrel fermented with predominantly wild yeasts, contributing to its individuality...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a finer, tighter, and slightly tenser expression of chardonnay from the vineyard, as distinct from the standard Redbrook chardonnay. There’s a light lift of minerals, saline, and grapefruit on the nose. And then the palate has a steely minerality but a deep intensity of fruit. This was such a good vintage, and the depth and concentration is evident....

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Captures what has become something of a house style. It’s a wine of power and drive, and layered complexity. In this case, the aromatic mix of nectarine and peach, with some light grapefruit and citrus, immediately engages. The palate displays richness with a savoury element, providing balance and accentuating the tight lines through to the finish. There’s a gentle butterscotch...

Geographe

Chardonnay

This is such an appealing chardonnay, ideal for drinking over the next few years. It’s rich in flavour and beautifully poised and presented. The fruit comes from the Talisman Vineyard, which is well known for high-quality fruit. The nose has a slightly citrusy, pithy character, with some nice, richer lemon meringue-type notes. The palate is creamy and rich, with a...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a stunning and stirring example of Margaret River chardonnay from what turned out to be an excellent year. It’s immensely powerful, and the fruit was whole-bunch pressed, which has certainly added to its structural integrity. Got a mix of new and seasoned French oak, and then the lees were stirred, and that’s brought in that textural feel and...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A consistently appealing value-for-money chardonnay. In this case, it’s captured the fruit intensity of the vintage with its citrusy grapefruit and lightly nectarine characters. And then the palate extends with a mix of stone fruits. A little minerally, briny character and a zingy acidity fit snugly into that ready-to-drink-over-the-next-few-years style.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A most appealing and approachable young chardonnay from this excellent vintage. It’s medium-bodied but with good fruit intensity. The aromas are in that white peach and nectarine zone, with some nice cashew-like characters adding complexity. The palate shows a little butterscotch threading through the deeper creamy stone fruit, then balanced with a fine savoury edge. A most complete and engaging...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is such a good chardonnay, displaying wonderful fruit and very astute winemaking to get the best of it. All hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed, and then barrel fermented with plenty of time on lees to build texture, richness and flavour intensity. Beautiful aromatics of lemon meringue, crème brûlée and light citrus notes. The palate reveals deeper concentration within a quite...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A wine sourced from the estate vineyard, which is now quite mature and yielding wonderful, concentrated fruit. It was a warm year in general, but the early varieties like chardonnay performed really well. After whole-bunch pressing, it was barrel fermented and then matured on lees for about nine months. It's a wine with wonderful melony, lemon meringue and light cashew...

Western Australia

Chardonnay

This is a generous, flavoursome, young chardonnay, loaded with pristine melony citrus fruit. Notes of light cashew and stone fruit on the nose, and then a palate that has a crunchy, juicy feel to it. Strikes a great balance between subtle oak and the intense fruit as it extends with ease through to a long finish.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

There's an immediate crunchy purity and vibrancy about this chardonnay. Certainly one of the best yet from Cape Grace. The aromas are dominated by a punchy peach, nectarine and slightly brioche combination. And then the palate, which is gently influenced by a third new French oak, reveals a complex minerality presented with elegance. A little butterscotch adds further richness, and...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This takes the standard Fairbrossen chardonnay up a notch. In fact, it takes it up a couple of notches. This is a first-class wine that comes off the Fairbrossen Witchcliffe dry-grown vineyard. To me, it's something of a breakthrough wine for this small producer and shows the immense promise it has. Whole bunches and wild ferments with about 40% new...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Excellent chardonnay. They're using the Gingin clone. Whole-bunch pressing has given it certainly some palate presence, and then wild fermentation in larger-format French oak. Twelve months on lees have built texture and richness, but at the same time, it retains a fine linear minerality, giving it poise and precision. It's a chardonnay of richness and flavour, and imminently appealing.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a wine that always delivers with plenty of punch and power. In this case, the season produced beautifully ripe fruit, and it's been worked with wild fermentation and a mix of new and slightly older oak, with 10 months' maturation and regular lees stirring. This produces a wine rich in complex characters of butterscotch, stone fruit and slightly...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Like the Corduroy chardonnay, this wine is also sourced from Margaret River. But it is a distinctly different style, providing a tighter, leaner, slightly tenser expression. All compacted with control and focus. Lemony meringue, light stone fruit and cashew notes on the nose. The palate is quite precise, with some lovely oak and slightly chalky tannins bringing it all together,...