Chardonnay

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is an outstanding chardonnay and quite frankly one of the very best I've ever seen from Cape Mentelle. It comes off Block 10 on the Chapman Brook Vineyard, which is now more than 30 years old. After hand-picking, it was pressed with wild fermentation in oak and then aged for a further 10 months. The result is a wine...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This was a pretty warm season in Margaret River, yet the earlier ripening and maturing chardonnay has generally performed very well, and this is a very good example of that. The nose shows plenty of deep stone fruit and a white peachy nectarine character with some lifted florals. On the palate, the richness of chardonnay emerges but is controlled to...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The chardonnays from this small family-owned winery located in the Cowaramup Brook Valley continue to impress. This one from the warm 2024 vintage has emerged rather beautifully. A little winemaking goes in here with whole bunch pressing, wild fermentation before fermentation and maturation in all French oak barriques for about 10 months. There are notes of lemon zest, cashew, and...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This has developed into something of a winner for Snake + Herring and is already well established as one of the better Chardonnays of Margaret River. It's sourced from Karridale, south of Margaret River, and immediately its power and intensity are evident, not surprising given it comes from a single block of the famed and powerful Gingin clone near Witchcliffe....

Margaret River

Chardonnay

I'd have to say this is as good as any Corduroy Chardonnays yet released from these guys. Of course, it comes from a very good year, which was well suited to the variety and from a vineyard at Karridale, south of the town of Margaret River. It has an engaging floral aroma with traces of brioche and cashew, with some...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

These guys make several Chardonnays, and this is a nice entry-level for them. It's all Chardonnay and it's all from Margaret River, but in addition to the famous Gingin clone, four additional Dijon clones have been used, and this seems to contribute to its slightly finer, chalky minerality to complement the richness and raw power of the Gingin clone. It...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This was a hot and very early vintage, but the vineyard location in the cooler Karridale area has helped control the speed of ripening, and the result is a mighty impressive chardonnay. It’s a concentrated and immensely powerful wine with great depth on the palate after an opening engagement, showing aromas of light cashew and brioche. There is something quite...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a most attractive Chardonnay from a vintage that produced a little more depth and concentration than the previous 2021. Lifted notes of brioche and stone fruit with a light cashew complexity. The palate is neatly woven with fine oak complementing some quality fruit. There’s a nice edge of cut lime and pear with just the lightest of struck...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Stunning wine displaying elegance and power in a perfectly structured and presented frame. Aromas of typical pear, florals and a little slaty minerality emerge immediately. The palate is slick and precise but with a deep complexity revealing a combination of citrus, grapefruit and a slightly saline pebbly character. It’s a result of the best barrel selection, and the brightness and...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Such a delicately structured yet still powerfully intense chardonnay from this outstanding vineyard, which in a good year like this, positively shines. The nose opens with typical light stone fruits, a slice of pear and a trace of grapefruit. But the palate is the thing. It is both textured and linear with deep stone fruit, minerally saline and citrus. There...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The warmer vintage is certainly reflected immediately in the bright golden colour. This is a rich and textured chardonnay from the Ribbon Vale vineyard. Honeycomb and light cereal characters emerge on the nose and palate. There’s an underlying savouriness that sustains through to the very long finish. Beautifully balanced with a crisp acidity controlling the finish. The higher altitude vineyard...

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

Rosenthal Collector chardonnay 2024 ($90) This is the top chardonnay from Rosenthal. It’s been sourced from Mount Barker and displays the typical power and complexity of previous vintages albeit on a slightly lighter frame. Moves into a distinctive savoury zone with creamy stone fruit and brioche character emerging. The oak integration is superb, allowing the fruit to fully express itself....

Pemberton

Chardonnay

There is an energising purity about this Pemberton-sourced chardonnay from this warm year. Has a light lift of lemon and creamy nectarine on the nose. It’s immediately captivating. The palate reveals an attractive and complex mix of stone fruit, savoury oak and light citrus tang. Throw in a little brioche and biscuit nuance and you have a captivating wine. The...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

Shows the virtues of being able to source quality chardonnay from Pemberton in a hot year. This one has emerged to be a really attractive wine. Aromas of peach and biscuit crumble with a little lemon curd lift. The palate is seamlessly structured with a creamy stone richness complemented by a fine persistent acidity. There’s a slight savoury element here...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

For a wine selling for around $20, there is a bit of class in this Margaret River chardonnay. Picked earlier to miss a lot of the heat. Fermented in French oak with lees stirring to add palate richness and complexity. Craem with subtle cashew and citrus characters. The palate is tightly held through the core but with ample flesh for...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

It’s a lighter style of chardonnay that delivers with a precise balance. It was whole bunch pressed to a combination of new and seasoned oak where it spent nine months. The oak adds a subtle textural complexity without overplaying its hand. Traces of citrus and grapefruit with a s, light nutty cashew character and a final cut of sliced pear....

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Impressive chardonnay reflecting the quality of this vintage. It was wild fermented and left on lees for nine months allowing an excellent textural palate to build while retaining its impeccable balance. Has a light creamy stone fruit and citrus combination on the nose. The palate reveals baked apple, spice and vanilla bean presented with a medium body. An excellent wine...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

Here is a wine that balances the modern leaner style with the richer older style. It’s from Pemberton in this warm year. On the nose an immediate invasion of nectarine and creamy roasted cashew hits. It’s intense and beautifully engaging. Then the palate delivers with slightly more restraint than you might expect but still with a deep penetrating intensity and...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

One of the prettiest and most refined of any Aravina chardonnay from this outstanding vineyard. The aromas are quite beautiful with a mix of cashew and intense grapefruit with traces of stone fruit. The palate is finely balanced with a deep intensity striking out with pear and cut lime with a slightly savory finish.

Great Southern

Chardonnay

Oh, yes. Here is further evidence that this has become one of the State’s finest chardonnays. It seems this cooler vintage has suited it perfectly. It’s sourced from the cool climes of Denmark. The intensity and sustained power is evident immediate with the penetrating aromas of butterscotch, stone fruit and lemon curd striking out. The palate delivers with intensity and...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a most impressive intensely flavoured and expressive chardonnay from a vintage that produced wines of real power. A nutty cashew and stone fruit combo works with a rich mealy character. The palate is seamless with a butterscotch and slightly saline addition. Nice wine.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

One of the best chardonnays yet under this label. But you expect that with mature vineyards, a great vintage and continually refined winemaking. Opens with a slightly savoury cashew aromatic, which is intense and immediately engaging. The palate is deep and multi-layered. Explosive and powerful, it extends with real purpose to a long though still linear and defined finish. One...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

It was a warm vintage, and this is an excellent outcome. It comes from the outstanding Wildberry Springs vineyard. This is high-class chardonnay. After handpicking the fruit is whole bunch pressed to barriques of which 50% were new. A combination of wild fermentation, malolactic fermentation and regular extended lees stirring brings a complex textural element into play. A slightly creamy...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is such a bright and beautiful chardonnay showing tremendous intensity and vibrancy from this outstanding vintage. Whole bunch pressed to oak with wild fermentation and some malolactic fermentation with lees stirring for textural impact. It has a bright crisp minerality with spicy creamy stone fruit and cutting grapefruit edging in. Very long and precise palate.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

One of the best chardies yet from Moss Wood, and that’s saying something with the quality of wines over the years. The nose is an immediately captivating combo of lemon curd, quince and cashew with just a subtle lift of zest. The palate has a sprightly energy with a crisp chalky acidity sustaining and focussing through to a very long...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Quite a different take on the Artus is this more classically defined modern expression of the variety. There is a pristine purity evident immediately with a floral cut lime and pear lift on the nose. Then the palate coils and tightens as it extends through to a very long finish. An elegant wine with a purity and finesse that is...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Plenty happening in this funky and wild expression of Chardonnay. On the nose, an intense combination of butterscotch, roasted cashew, and lemon curd with a vanilla bean lift reveal. The palate is layered with a complex maze and intricate weave of flavours reflecting the initial aromas. And then a minerally finish completes a very good wine.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a Chardonnay that relies more on the natural pristine vibrancy of the fruit rather than any noticeable winemaking contribution. The minerally and slightly saline characters of the fruit work neatly with other characters of typical grapefruit and lime. Has a slightly chalky acidity with the muted oak just enough to play a part.

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

This is a powerful statement of chardonnay. It’s all Gingin clone and about 25% new oak. There is a mealy character here with a nutty roasted cashew. Handpicked and wild fermented and the best barrels go into a blend. There is an intensity here with stone fruit and white floral notes. A most attractive wine with savoury characters carrying the...

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

This is a blend of Block 8 and about 30% Burgundian clones then the rest is Block 9 with some younger vine Gingin clones. All wild fermented in Burgundian oak in largely 500l with about 20% new oak. Has a nice balance of citrus and nectarine with a slight sea spray character. The citrus lift on the finish is very...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

In many ways a style that bridges the older style with the modern linear restrained styles. I like it. Let’s get that on the record. Whole bunch pressed and fermented in a mix of 30% new and older oak where it did its thing for nine months. Aromas of lemon zest and butterscotch with a creamy tart character. On the...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A pure and expressive chardonnay from this exceptional vintage. Treated as naturally as possible with wild yeast fermentation and no malolactic. So, it retains a bright crystalline minerality through the energised palate and lifted aromas. Had about 8 months in oak with regular lees stirring bringing the textural complexity. Racy lemon palate with a faint cashew and chalky character. Precise...

Great Southern

Chardonnay

This is a mighty impressive chardonnay from Denmark. The nose is bright and energised with a melony stone fruit and slightly citrussy character. It has excellent texture and palate weight but there is a crunchy pebbly acidity that really raises it into another zone. A mix of lemon rind and chalky acidity provides a focus to a long finish.

Geographe

Chardonnay

In some ways this appears to resemble some of the earlier Gabrielles. It’s a wine with an unashamedly significant winemaking artifact, yet it presents with poise and style. Rich lemon tart and quince paste with a butterscotch and slightly toasty oak influence. A complex weave begins on the palate with savoury lemon fruit and slightly reductive faint struck match influences....

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The saline minerality with slightly chalky dust character is the first indication of the style. Lean and linear. Aromas are all about subtlety. Subtle butterscotch, grapefruit and meal with a little roasted nuttiness. The palate is so beautifully framed and focused, gathering itself through the middle to deliver to a long finish.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A wine that strikes immediately with its tension and taut lines. This is southern Margaret River with a fine precision and elegance. The nose initially reveals a spicy cashew and lemon curd character with a restrained creamy custard apple nuance. The palate has a tight minerality with a slightly saline sea spray lift all brought back into line with a...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Can’t imagine too many better chardonnays at this price point. Aromas immediately assail with butterscotch and honeycomb with a slightly toasty lemon character, The palate has excellent depth of flavour delivered in layers. Beautiful long finish. A really smart wine.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A beautiful expression of this vintage in a wine that reveals the extraordinary fruit of the season augmented with clever winemaking to bring out the energy and vibrancy within. The lightly struck match influence on the nose is evident immediately as it sits neatly with the rich crème brulee and quince like roasted cashew characters, There is depth here, and...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

I just know this will be a wine of tremendous appeal. The aromas open up immediately with creamy melon and citrus aromas touched with a little lightly roasted cashew and meal. The light bodied palate displays the bright fruit of the vintage with just a light touch of oak. Has a nice lemon zip on the finish. It’s a wine...

Geographe

Chardonnay

Over the years this excellent chardonnay has morphed into a slightly more restrained and precise wine, while still retaining the deep fruit intensity that is the hallmark of this Ferguson Valley vineyard. Lightly fragrant aromas of lemon curd and quince with a trace of butterscotch. The palate is layered with a pleasing texture and depth that carries effortlessly through to...