Chardonnay

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Purity and clarity in this contemporary chardonnay from 2025. It’s distinctly fruit-driven, but there is definition, poise and control here that define the wine. It has a crunchy melony character, a slice of quince, a squeeze of lemon and a lip-smacking acidity to finish. A beautiful wine that captures the vintage and variety, ideal for current drinking.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is an impressive chardonnay from this newcomer to Margaret River, with the fruit coming off the famed Wilyabrup sub-region. After hand-picking, it was whole-bunch pressed and fermented in a mix of new and seasoned French oak, where it spent 9 months on lees. The result is a wine with richness and texture, lots of creamy stone fruit, roasted cashew...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

After hand-picking, the wine was pressed gently as whole bunches, and in the end, only free-run juice was fermented, contributing to its fineness and delicate poise. It was fermented in a mix of quartz amphora of different sizes and shapes, along with some barriques. A small portion of the wine, about 30 per cent, was fermented in new oak. The...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This comes from the outstanding Wildberry Springs vineyard, making it a single-vineyard wine and, I believe, the finest chardonnay yet released from Gralyn. The aroma strikes all the right chords with the aromatic combination of citrus, butterscotch, and spicy struck match, and then a palate which retains a fine linear feel. There is texture and intensity here with a minerally...

Geographe

Chardonnay

The fruit comes from Donnybrook and after hand picking it was whole bunch pressed into puncheons with a mix of 25% new and then wild yeast fermented. Some of the lees were stirred over the 9 months in oak. Opens with an aroma of very subtle butterscotch struck match character but it's restrained and then the palate delivers the richness...

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

This was hand-picked and whole bunch pressed. It’s a mix of 50 and 38-year-old vines right in the middle of the vineyard. There are two picks to provide blending options. It’s all 100% barrel fermented on full solids, and about 50% new oak barriques were used. The nose shows a distinctive struck match character with some nice stone fruit. There’s...

Great Southern

Chardonnay

This is quite a generous chardonnay with loads of stone fruit dominated by a peach and nectarine combo working quite beautifully. Flavours deep within the palate reveal a melon, slightly vanilla pod character with a citrus edge, helping to define. Creamy and highly flavoursome. A subtle sprinkle of spice on the finish provides the final fling.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A mix of clones has been used here to complement the traditional Gingin clone. So, you know it has power and weight, but the Bernard and P58 clones have brought a restrained refinement to balance. After wild yeast fermentation, it was left on lees for nine months, during which time it picked up deeper, richer palate intensity. Has a nutty,...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A combination of the traditional Margaret River Gingin clone and the Dijon clone. It brings the richness and power of the Gingin component but with the linear, refined elegance of the Dijon. It’s a lighter style but with good intensity and a subtle, understated use of oak to allow the fruit to express itself.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

An excellent wine that was picked quite early to avoid the later searing heat, but everything came together, and the fruit was in good balance, and it shows. Aromas of brioche, toasty stone fruit, with a fairly typical peachy nectarine character on the palate. Other combinations of pie crust, light cashew and a slightly grapefruit pithiness add to the complexity....

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This comes from the Margaret River heartland, 100% Wilyabrup. The vineyard was planted back in the '80s, so it’s been there for a while. It’s been wild fermented, whole-bunch pressed with high solids, showing that saline minerality that is so compelling. It’s immensely concentrated, but has focus and poise with real precision. All Gingin clone, so there’s power in spades,...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Here is a wine that captures a rich, nutty interpretation of Margaret River. It's generous, yet there is a controlled and refined structure here. It’s been all wild fermented, with a mix of vineyards contributing. It gets about 25% new oak for around nine months. There’s a nice bright minerality, and the balance comes from the 25% puncheons, which means...

Perth Hills

Chardonnay

This is a rich, textured, and highly flavoursome chardonnay. After handpicking, it was fermented in a mix of new French oak, ceramic egg, and stainless steel, with regular lees stirring after the ferment. Loads of ripe nectarine and creamy stone fruit on the nose, and a palate that delivers richness and texture with slightly roasted cashew and bright nectarine edginess....

Pemberton

Chardonnay

This is such a delightful, delicate, and engaging sparkling wine, made from chardonnay. The aromas are quite floral, with a slightly smoky citrus note. The palate, though displaying that degree of delicacy, has sustained power through to a long finish, with a crisp citrus-like tang and some lovely autolysis-like characters. Excellent wine.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Continues the excellent run of chardonnays from this established producer in Margaret River. In this case, the fruit was handpicked and then wild fermented before heading into French oak barriques for nine months, during which time there was regular stirring in three-weekly cycles. This one retains the fine linear presence that's marked these recent chardonnays. But there's also a textural...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

There's a striking precision and fineness about a wine from a warm year that still produced excellent fruit in Pemberton. Aromas of peach and light ginger with floral, jasmine-like notes. The palate has a faintly creamy cashew complexity and a nice lift, finishing with a savoury light cashew influence.

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

You’re immediately struck by the complexity and intensity on the nose. After picking and whole bunch pressing, it was fermented and then matured with indigenous yeasts in a mix of small and large French oak. The nose shows minerally, slightly struck-match characters, with roasted cashew, distinctive lemon, and a hint of vanilla. On the palate, that crunchy, vibrant, steely minerality...

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

Chardonnays from this hot season have emerged quite strong, and this is another fine example. From the Mount Barker region, it underwent some natural ferment before being matured for an extended period in older French oak to deliberately downplay overt oak influence. The result is a wine of brightness and elegance, with fine, pure minerality and light citrusy melon notes,...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

These chardonnays are moving into a more elegant and refined expression of this variety and region. It was barrel fermented with wild yeast, creating a wine of minerally complexity. On the nose, there’s the fairly typical combination of lemon, light-cut lime, and citrus, with a muted backdrop of lemon curd and cashew. The palate is almost delicate, yet it releases...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

This is a lo-fi expression of Pemberton chardonnay, which gives quite a different dimension to this variety. It was whole bunch pressed and wild fermented in 500-litre French puncheons and ceramic eggs, with full solids used to add both texture and complexity. Has an intensity on the palate with fine, minerally fruit and slight and subtle nectarine characters. I like...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

When arguments rage, you can guarantee when the subject is Australia's greatest chardonnays that this wine will always be in the mix. It's another exceptional wine from a vintage that really worked well. As always, 100% of the juice was barrel fermented in new French barriques, with regular stirring to introduce complexity and texture. It's a powerful statement of chardonnay...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

It was a hot, dry and early vintage. The earliest on record. But the impact on the wine is immediate and profound. A wine of tremendous power and concentration is evident from the initial engagement on the nose through to a deep and almost endless palate, as it drives forward with tremendous urgency. Notes of brioche and grain-like cereal with...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a classy chardonnay that, in many ways, illustrates how Woody Nook has flown under the radar for many years and yet consistently produces outstanding wines like this one. The interesting thing is it was barrel fermented, but in a high percentage, in this case, 80% new French oak puncheons, for about eight months with regular lees stirring. On...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is the pinnacle of chardonnay produced at Thompson Estate, and this is certainly one of the finest they have produced. Strikes immediately on the nose with a complex maze of cashew, butterscotch, and slightly savoury notes, providing an engaging opening. The palate, though, is where this wine comes alive. There's a deep intensity here with concentrated fruit. It's delivered...

Great Southern

Chardonnay

Over recent years, this high-class chardonnay has been elevated into the top tier of West Australian chardonnays. It comes from a single vineyard in Denmark where the family home is located. I'd have to say this is certainly one of the best. There's a subtle combination of struck-match complexity, vibrant lime, grapefruit-like notes, and a little rich butterscotch. The palate...

Great Southern

Chardonnay

This one comes off the family's Denmark property, and although the season was warm, the slightly more subdued climes have resulted in wines—especially chardonnay—that are quite exceptional. Opens with an inviting combination of lemon pith, cut lime, and a savoriness, while on the palate, other nuances of butterscotch, brioche, and a slightly cashew influence are cut with a little citrus...

Geographe

Chardonnay

Like so many of the chardonnays in this warm year, it was picked quite early to retain its natural vibrancy. It was whole bunch pressed to new and one-year-old French oak, and the balance with the fruit is absolutely spot on. Aromas of melon, lemon rind, and light smoky cashew. The palate has a lively energy with an intense minerally...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

An ideal season has resulted in an impressive Margaret River chardonnay. It's a full-bodied, intensely flavoured chardonnay, and the use of whole bunches with wild ferment in barrel with regular lees stirring has contributed to a rich and textured palate, with a lovely feel about it. Lemon zest, brioche, lemon meringue and even a little honeycomb character are all swirling...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

It seems that over the years, this excellent chardonnay has made incremental improvements each year, likely stemming from the maturing vineyard. In this case, the hot season didn't impact because the wine was picked quite early. So what you have is a wine that shows lovely vibrant fruit on the nose with those slightly grapefruity lemon pith and melony-like notes....

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

An incredibly powerful and layered chardonnay showing some distinctive winemaking artefacts that have been well managed with the quality fruit. On the nose, a struck match aroma lifts. A light lees influence and some malolactic fermentation have enhanced the palate feel. Lemon, savoury brioche characters and a little honeycomb on the palate with a dry minerality defining the finish.

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

A very tidy chardonnay that comes from three different sites on the Forest Hill Vineyard and Highbury Fields, with a combination of Gin Gin and Bernard clones. Richness and texture have been built in but have not been overdone. Instead, it creates a complexity of savoury fruit characters and a slightly minerally chalky character, accentuating the dry finish. Very nice...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

This is a first-rate chardonnay from Pemberton. The striking feature is its approachable mouthfeel with tremendous fruit intensity. On the nose, you're drifting into those more stone fruit and white peach notes with a touch of underlying nectarine and a little lemon pith. The palate bounces along with a trace of brioche and lemon meringue complexity. The oak is lightly...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Pierro always holds back a little of the current release chardonnay, for later release, which is great because it pushes you into a wine that's entering its ideal drinking zone, and the cellaring is done for you. This was always an outstanding wine, and it captures so much of the Pierro style, perhaps leaning more toward the modern evolution of...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Sourced from some of the southernmost vineyards of Cape Mentelle and picked early to avoid the heat of 2024, this wine proves you shouldn't judge a vintage without knowing the details. It's an incredibly delicate and fine style, capturing powerful, concentrated intensity with refined delicacy. Minerally, lemony notes appear on the nose, while the palate builds slowly through the middle...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This comes from a single vineyard east of Cowaramup, with the handpicked fruit being pressed directly to French oak for a cool fermentation and full malolactic. It was left on lees without sulphur with regular lees stirring. It is an impressive wine with aromas of brioche and crunchy biscuit with a savoury creamy stone fruit character. The palate has a...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Just like the Calgardup Brook Vineyard chardonnay, this wine also expresses a distinctive vineyard character, and it has long been one of my favourite chardonnays. It shows greater intensity of fruit, and while some characters are a little more forward, the structure and fine balance remain classically chardonnay. This vintage shows a slightly more minerally, finer, grapefruity citrus character than...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a wine that always shows the distinctive character of this vineyard. It’s a finer, tighter, and leaner style of chardonnay, but it still carries tremendous intensity and fruit concentration, perfectly harnessed. There’s a crisp, minerally, spicy citrus character, with a trace of lemon curd and grapefruit. A slightly salty sea spray note adds further complexity. An excellent wine.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a superb chardonnay, and, despite some excellent previous vintages, I reckon this is as good as any that’s been released. It’s fine and delicate, but it carries tremendous, precise intensity, with beautifully integrated oak and fruit. There’s a light honeycomb and stone fruit character, with a touch of grapefruit, and yet nothing dominates. It simply knits together where...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a wine that, in the last few years, has lifted into another zone, and in this vintage it's showing real intensity of fruit, combined with fine, precise focus and remarkable length. It's a delicately framed chardonnay with a fine chalky character that threads through lemony grapefruit and light melon notes. The palate is fine, precise, and sustained, with...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

These chardonnays from Victory Point over recent years have started to reach into the top echelon in Margaret River, and this is another cracking example. The aromas are intense, and the palate deeply concentrated, yet delivered with a fine, linear style. On the nose, distinctly lemon meringue, grapefruit, a trace of cashew, and some slightly dusty, chalky notes. The palate...