Chardonnay

Wine Front 94 points. "Bindi hasn’t put a step wrong in its dual-generation existence, and continues on a righteous path of unswerving attention to vineyard, gentle application of winemaking, great thought in every aspect of wine-vine life. Michael Dhillon would have to be one of the youngest professorial wine thinkers going around. Bindi’s legend and legacy is well on its way, as we know. Here’s another release to admire over time. A nice mesh of lemon lime, floral notes, peanut brittle, ginger in the bouquet. All understated, all good. Palate is light and juicy, bright, crisp, shows some good fruitiness, a touch of nutty savouriness,...

James Suckling 93 points. Very rich here with attractively flinty, peach and lemon aromas that lead to a powerful and fresh palate with a sleek, fluid and very juicy impression. Great balance. JS. Winemaker Notes An intense, mineral wine fully ripe but lean, taught and intense with savoury, creamy elements. Fragrant notes of orange blossom, nectarine stone, spice and subtle nuttiness are usual with a vibrant, tight, long palate highlighted by clean acidity, wonderful texture and fine length.

James Suckling 96 points. This is a very clear, pure expression of white and yellow peaches, lemons, some minerally gun flint and very subtle oak. Really dialed-in and focused on the nose. Similarly, the palate is tautly focused, yet has fully ripe flavors in the peach and lemon spectrum. It arcs smoothly into a composed, long and balanced finish. Chardonnay that’s resolved to this extent on release is a rare thing. JS. Halliday Wine Companion 96 points. The tension in this is fabulous. Taut as a snare drum, yet intense in flavour. It starts off on a citrus theme, with lemons and a touch of tangerine, tempered by a layer of nutty, leesy...

Wine Companion 96 points. While Quartz gets the bow for its complexity and depth, Kostas Rind is no slouch. A lovely balance of citrus, white stone fruit, ginger spice and a touch of nutty lees that are more like seasoning, same with the oak influence. There’s a lightness and purity with some complex sulphides and ultra-refreshing acidity. Very satisfying. Utterly enticing. 96 points. Jane Faulkner Published 16 August 2022 WINERY NOTE: The 2020 Kostas Rind spent 10 months on yeast lees in French barrels, of which 25% are new, and was bottled in mid February. Typical and distinctive aromas of grapefruit and lemon with jasmine blossom lift...

An intense, mineral wine fully ripe but lean, taught and intense with savoury, creamy elements. Fragrant notes of orange blossom, nectarine stone, spice and subtle nuttiness are usual with a vibrant, tight, long palate highlighted by clean acidity, wonderful texture and fine length. The Kostas Rind Chardonnay is grown in a 1.5 hectare plot. The wine is fermented in French barrels of which typically 20% are new. Fermentation occurs without the addition of cultured yeast and the wine remains in barrel on yeast lees over winter with only a small amount of malo-lactic conversion taking place. It is racked around eight months after vintage, and...

The word ‘quartz’ adorns a couple of my favourite wines from all over the globe, now I think of it. Quartz is the strength in the soils of the best chardonnay bits of Bindi’s garden too. And here, another magnificent release. Alas, not tasted with Michael Dhillon as has been a habit at times. If you want to look up ‘complexity; wine’ or ‘premium wine’ or ‘fucking awesome’ in a dictionary then I suggest a picture of this bottle accompanies. It’s impressive from the first whiff of fragrance, all rich, fresh, savoury, fruit driven, saline and slate minerally, and just so darn intriguing. Beckons you in. The glass to mouth...

James Suckling 97 points "Very fresh and intense aromas of lemons, peaches, hazelnuts and white florals are delivered with striking definition and purity here. The palate is impressively layered, long and powerful with a pithy core of lemon and yellow-grapefruit flavors, as well as peach, honey and hazelnut. Pristine, long and powerful finish with great focus. Drink or hold. Screw cap." James Halliday Wine Companion 97 points. From vines planted 1988. Vineyard at 500m elevation, tended by hand. From a 0.5 ha area where the quartz in the soil is at its greatest. Yields typically 3.5–5 t/ha. Wild-yeast fermentation, unsettled juice goes...

Yields were down, but not quality. The depth of flavour emanating from Quartz leaves me in awe. It’s layered and rich, yet not heavy. Fuller bodied, with lemon, poached fruit and spiced with ginger flower and powder. Long and pure, with the oak flavoursome and knitted well into the body of the wine. It is complete and approachable now, but will garner even more complexity in time. 96 points. Jane Faulkner for James Halliday Wine Companion, Published 27 May 2022 WINERY NOTE: At the upper end of the Chardonnay planting, where the quartz incidence in the soil is the greatest the fruit has extra complexity, finesse and intensity. This wine...

By Farr Chardonnay 2021 Vineyard: The By Farr chardonnay comes from the same site as the Sangreal pinot noir—composed of red soil over limestone—and was planted in 1994. The limestone of this site is not exposed on the surface as at other sites. The limestone starts 20 to 30cm below the surface, to the depths of the root zone of the vines. It is a very exposed north-facing slope. The clones used for the chardonnay are a mixture of Dijon clones and Penfolds 58. Vinification: The fruit is hand-picked then whole-bunch pressed in the winery. All the solids are collected and chilled before being put to barrel, which are 30 per cent new French...

"Light to mid-yellow hue, with a reserved, shy bouquet which has traces of lemon balm, creamy lees and pencil wood, while the flavour is tremendously intense and focused, powerful in an understated way, with lemon and grapefruit flavours, showing concentration as well as subtlety, the finish lingering on and on. Time will doubtless build that bouquet further. A smashing chardonnay. 27 NOV 2021 2021–2032" Huon Hooke 96/100 The GC Chardonnay (GC – Gary Charles) is attributed to all the knowledge we have been able to extract from Gary to create a close planted / high density planting of chardonnay on an exposed côte. These hillsides facing...

COLOUR Light straw with golden tints. AROMA The nose displays aromas of orange blossom and ripe, vibrant stone fruits. PALATE The palate is wonderfully balanced with juicy nectarine, lime, warm subtle oak spice and a fine natural acidity. CELLARING This wine will be best enjoyed within five years of release. VINTAGE The 2021 vintage was idyllic and brought with it ideally timed rainfall and ripening season temperatures tracking long-term averages. Higher yields and cooler conditions lent delicious natural acidity and produced Chardonnay of outstanding quality in this region. WINEMAKING Fruit was 100% hand picked and pressed directly to...

James Halliday 95 points. "Estate-grown, hand-picked, whole-bunch-pressed, wild-fermented in French barriques (30% new), matured for 9 months. Bright, light straw-green; white peach, melon and pink grapefruit on the bouquet, moving to a grapefruit-driven palate with cool climate regalia. Delicious and fresh." 95 Points colour Beautiful light straw colour, highlighted by golden tints, bright and shiny. aroma The perfume is intoxicating with its hints of oatmeal, peach and honey; also that ever-elusive character of stuck match stick. The vanilla spice is beautiful, yes it's all there - in wonderful harmony. palate The palate is intensely...

ERIN LARKIN, HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION 2023 92 points. Matured for 8 months in French oak (20% new). There is salted peach, some curry leaf and plenty of brine. The acidity is staunch, not uncommon in 2021, but it is met and matched by the precise fruit and vibrant flavours in the mouth. Exceptional value for money....

COLOUR Pale straw with a golden hue. AROMA White flowers, nectarine and lemon peel aromas with warm toasty almond biscuit. PALATE This wine displays juicy white peach flavours with an underlying citrus freshness. This is a medium bodied Chardonnay with vibrant notes of candied lime peel and rich roasted cashews CELLARING This wine may be enjoyed on release but will find further complexity with two to three of years ageing.

GLOBAL FINE WINE CHALLENGE 2022 Trophy, Best Chardonnay. Trophy, White Wine of Show. JAMES SUCKLING 98 points, Best Australian Wine 2022, # 20 Best Value Wine Globally, # 25 Best Wines Globally. A tight and full-bodied white with flint, stone, sliced apples and pears. Really mineral undertone. Seashells, too. It’s so tight and focused with lots of structure. Long and intense. Powerful gunpowder and spice and sea salt. This is impressive to drink now like a top young Burgundy (Chevalier-Montrachet) but will deliver so much more in the future. Drink or hold. HUON HOOKE, THE REAL REVIEW 2022, 97 points. Smoky matchstick reduction adds extra...

"With 3% pinot gris. Gingin clone fermented wild in barrel, matured for 9 months in French oak (30% new). There are all sorts of words to accurately describe this wine: crystalline, pure, glass shard, mineral, alka seltzer ... however the characters that really define it swing toward elderflower and nashi pear, summer lemons, pink grapefruit and snow pea florals. Through the finish there is a fine marbling of crushed nuts and gentle spice. Very pretty. Once it settles from its youth, this will be supremely elegant. 93 points." Erin Larkin Published 03 August 2022. COLOUR Brilliant lemon straw. AROMATICS Complex layering of crisp grapefruit,...

Top Gold, 97 points, James Halliday Chardonnay Challenge 2021. Trophy, Best Wine of Show, WA Boutique and Single Vineyard Wine Show 2021. 96 points, Ray Jordan Wine Reviews. Gold Medal, Perth Royal Wine Show 2021. Gold Medal, Margaret River Wine Show 2021. "I have seen this wine, blind, 3 times in 2021, and it is so firmly imprinted on my memory that I hardly needed to taste it again today, save but for the context it could bring to the surrounding wines. It is pure, fine, lingering and spicy. The fruit is woven into the very fabric of the wine, threaded in place by fine strands of briny acidity that is pronounced, but sings, rather than...

Siver Medal, James Halliday Chardonnay Challenge. COLOUR Pale straw in colour with a fresh green rim. AROMA The wild barrel ferment on solids adds savoury aromatics such as wild herbs and toasty-flinty notes. PALATE Flavours of rockmelon, pear and citrus drive the palate with layers of complexity providing the thumb print of the Evans & Tate house style. Extended maturation in barrel has also contributed malt flavours, textural complexity and beautiful integration. CELLARING Delicious now, or enjoy for up to six years from vintage.

Silver Medal, James Halliday Chardonnay Challenge. Silver Medal, Margaret River wine Awards. The term Broadway is referred to by our winemakers as the popular Caves Rd stretch along which our Chardonnay vineyards for this wine are dotted. These strategic vineyard locations capture the array of northern, southern and central flavours and characters of the varietal to make a style that truly captures the essence of Chardonnay from Margaret River. The fruit was selectively hand picked and the cold fruit loaded directly into the press for whole bunch pressing. This gentle handling is critical to produce our unique style of Chardonnay. The wine...

James Halliday Wine Companion 2022 95 points. Hand picked, whole-bunch pressed, wild ferment in barrel (35% new), 18% mlf, on lees for 16 months, stirred for 10, before a quiet, untouched 6 months on lees prior to bottling. Crushed cashew, white peach, briny acidity and silky phenolics on the palate. Seamless, creamy and classy, this is perfectly Margaret River, in a perfect year. Lovely stuff. RAY JORDAN TOP 100 WHITES, SPARKLING & ROSES, 95 points. Such a fine and delicate sophisticated chardonnay here. Minerally grapefruit aromas strike on the nose while the palate delivers with deft precision and focus. The stone fruit citrus and faint...

RAY JORDAN WINE GUIDE 2021, 98 points. Such poise and refinement captured so beautifully. This is a marvellous example of the region and the vintage. It predictably has won heaps of bling, and so it should. Minerally, savoury and lean, yet with the power of the 2018 vintage powering through. The palate is extraordinary as it accelerates through to a long, finely crafted finish. This is a modern chardonnay at its best. 98 points. PERTH ROYAL WINE AWARDS 2020 Best White Table Wine Best Wine of Show Best Western Australian White Table Wine Best Chardonnay WINE SHOW OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA 2021, Gold Medal. MARGARET RIVER WINE SHOW 2021, Gold...

Gold, MARGARET RIVER WINE SHOW 2021 Gold, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN SINGLE VINEYARD WINE SHOW 2020 Gold, WA BOUTIQUE, WA SINGLE VINEYARD & BLACKWOOD VALLEY WINE SHOW 2020 Gold, WINE SHOW OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA 2020. HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION 2022, 96 points. Fruit from the Bridgelands vineyard in Karridale. Hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed direct to 500L puncheon for wild fermentation. 2 barrels underwent mlf. After blending in tank, all wine was returned to barrel and left on lees for a further 10 months. This wine is a statement of excellence for Margaret River chardonnay: spicy, rich, saline and very long. Classy wine and detailed winemaking. Yes...

Covid messed up the ratings process for this wine and ir was not rated. The 2017, 2019 and 2020 were all rated 92-96 by James Halliday and this is consistent. Forest Hill Vineyard has a unique place in the history of Western Australia’s wine industry, being the first cool climate vineyard planted in the state. A two hectare vineyard was planted in 1965. More than 50 years on Forest Hill is family owned and run. Bright straw in colour with aromas of pears, nougat and flint. The palate has flavours of fresh citrus and figs with zesty finish. The lees stirring has built texture and weight across the palate. Mostly hand-picked, chilled further...

5 Gold Stars - the Real Review - Huon Hooke “The One With The Juicy, Savoury Feel. A little more volume than the other 2019 Giant Steps single vineyard releases, Sexton pushes ripe citrus, green apple, nuttiness and a Parisian almond/marzipan character. It’s flinty too, minerals don’t escape, but the main gist is a wine of quiet power, depth, concentration and drive. Exceptional length, the finish is a starburst of flavour, then chalky and puckering. It opens up beautifully, indeed needs some time to reveal more and more, so you get a complex wine with incredible detail going on. Long term fans of the Giant Steps chardonnay world will...

Wine Companion 97 points. Made mainly from WA's Gingin clone and planted in Gruyere on the same grey clay as Applejack. Whole bunches pressed into French puncheons with 20% new oak. Smells tightly wound and concentrated with aromas of ripe peach and nectarine, together with just a hint of lanolin and apple custard. Equally powerful and punchy on the palate. This has more of everything, including sprightly acid and some phenolic grip on the very long, stone-fruit pithy finish. Today, this is my pick of the 4 single-vineyard 2021 chardonnays, but who knows what will come out on top in 5 or even 10 years from now! 97 points. Philip Rich...

“The One That Goes All Minerally. Huge mineral feel, indeed, you’d paste this into the section under ‘Wine; Minerality’ in an encyclopaedia. All pebbles and talc in perfume, sure, some citrus, citrus blossom, faint bread dough notes, but you’re drawn to the flint and element rocky notes primarily. The palate does the same, flint, wet slate, smooth pebbles rolled around the palate, olive brine, green apple juice and lime comes in too. Feels quite firm despite a sense of juiciness and being dart-shaped and long. Finishes with the faintest kiss of salted nuttiness. Just beautiful. Poised and fine.” 95 points, Mike Bennie.

Mike Bennie, Wine Front, 93 points. Located in a protected valley, Tarraford Vineyard has a discreet microclimate, that is cooler than neighbouring sites. A diversity of aspect and clone provides multifaceted winemaking opportunities. Although located in a warmer part of the valley, the site produces Chardonnay with high natural acids (and low pH) expressing itself through its characteristically long palate, fine tight structure and a zesty lemon/grapefruit finish.

The warmest site of the 4 Giant Steps single-vineyard chardonnays, but planted on a south-facing slope in Tarrawarra. As with all of them, this was whole-bunch pressed and barrel fermented 15% new French puncheons). A fuller, bright, green gold. Quite restrained with aromas of stone fruits, oatmeal and a little wet rock. I like both the intensity and restraint on the palate and this may, paradoxically, need the longest of the 4 single-vineyard 2021 chardonnays to open up. Date Tasted: Feb 2022; Drink to: 2028; Price: $65.00; Alcohol: 13%; Rating: 95 Points; Philip Rich; James Halliday Wine Companion Sweet oak into white stonefruit, citrus...

James Halliday Wine Companion 95 points. Whole-bunched pressed into older French puncheons. Natural fermentation and zero mlf. A super-bright green gold. Vibrant aromas with perfectly ripened stone fruits, grapefruit pith and an attractive touch of lemongrass and ginger. Gently textured, balanced and satisfying. A class act from beginning to end. Philip Rich. Gary Walsh, Wine Front, 94 points. WINERY NOTE: The Yarra Valley range is made from handpicked fruit from all of our estate vineyards. The wines are produced using indigenous yeasts, gravity-flow winemaking, and minimal fining and filtration. This approach produces highly expressive...

"A juicy supple wine with nectarine, white peach and creamy flavours gently filling the mouth, pear and apple also joining in on the back-palate and finish. The French oak influence has more to do with texture than flavour." Wine Companion 95/100 #DEC

James Halliday Wine Companion 95 points. This is smokin'. It has moreish sulphides at play, but it's the bringing together and syncing of all its elements that makes this spot-on. White nectarines, citrus, creamed honey and very spicy, all offset by mouth-watering acidity. It's layered, concentrated and flatteringly fine. 95 points. Jane Faulkner Published 13 August 2021

Gold Medal, Halliday Chardonnay Challenge 2022. WINERY NOTES: Chardonnay is one of our two main squeezes out here, and this drop in particular will have you singing Yarra Valley praises. Drop the retro stereotype because cool climate Chardonnay is our jam and you should absolutely get on board. Region: Yarra Valley Alc/Vol: 13% Smells like: Fresh pear, lemon, poached apple, florals and marzipan Tastes like: Crisp, fresh and dry with a stonefruit core and citrusy pithy texture Goes with: Paella del Mar, BBQ chicken with fresh coriander salsa verde, wash rind cheeses. Catching up on Netflix on a Sunday afternoon

Qantas Business Class "The same clonal composition as the premium Alliance chardonnay: Clone 95 (35%), 96 (35%), 277 (15%), 76 (5%) and Gingin (10%). Hand picked, wild ferment, pressed to barrel, matured for 8 months in French oak (20% new). This is very good. Creamy yet taut, with a generous foundation of ripe orchard fruit, dovetailed salty acidity and fine phenolics. The Ferguson Valley is emerging as a very good home for chardonnay and this is a good example. 92 points." Erin Larkin Published 03 August 2022. colour | Bright straw. nose | Reminiscent of white citrus flowers, dried pear and ripe stone-fruit, distinctive and fresh. palate |...

In many ways the most Burgundian of any of the Leeuwin releases, this will rank up there with the best to date. There’s a waxy light mealy aroma which picks up nuances of limestone and spice with a trace of grapefruit. But it is the palate that really distinguishes it. There is an austerity with the minerally chalky feel that cuts through the fruit extending to a finish of extraordinary length. Precision and focus harness a wine of great power and poise before dry savoury edges lift the finish. Date: March 2022; Drink: 2024-2038; Price: $138.00; Rating: 99 Points; Ray Jordan; Wine Pilot. 98 points, Wine Companion (January 2022), Erin...

HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION 2022, 96 POINTS. Hand-picked fruit from the Tasman Peninsula, Coal River and Tamar Valleys. Fermented on full solids and matured 10 months in 35% new French oak hogsheads. Launching Tasmania's most exciting new premium label, the Fogarty Group sure has hit the ground running. This is pitch-perfect chardonnay that embraces the generosity of a warm season and frames it intricately in crystalline acidity, top-class oak and just the right whif of struck-flint reduction. Masterfully assembled and a joy to taste for the first time. Tyson Stelzer, Aug 2021. #TAS

REGION: TUMBARUMBA. Harvested from grapes grown around 480 meters these cool-climate wines in the McW 480 Estate range are filled with freshness and vibrancy. Enjoy vibrant flavours from great heights. The McW 480 Estate Chardonnay displays bright citrus and white nectarine with supporting fresh oak. A focused and linear palate which is richly textured with flinty acidity. Depth of citrus fruit flavor and drive combines with a long seamless finish.

James Halliday 95 points. McWilliam's champions the use of grapes planted in high altitude/cool-climate regions to deliver quality wines with crisp, fruit-driven flavours and our flagship McWilliam's 842 Chardonnay epitomises this philosophy. The name 842 references the peak altitude of the Tumbarumba wine region at 842 metres above sea level. A powerful wine with great fruit intensity matched and balanced by creamy rich texture and the wonderful crisp slatey natural acidity of Tumbarumba. The melon and stone fruit flavours are perfectly ripe with a pure line of grapefruit acidity that drives the wine to fantastic depth and length, with an...

WINERY NOTE: It’s all about the fruit! Coming from a cracking vintage, this chardonnay heroes the Yarra Valley fruit, with with just a touch of oak exposure. Colour: pale straw Aroma: stone fruit, grapefruit, grilled nuts + spice Palate: stone fruit, orange zest, crisp + textured Cellar: 5-10 years.

“This fresh and complex young chardonnay offers peach and melon aromas with gently buttery, biscuity nuances, too. The balance of acidity is right for the ripe-peach flavors. Waffle-cone finish. 90 Points.” JamesSuckling.com, October 2020 [2019 Vintage]. “Fresh-faced stye with just enough texture, complexity and length to keep most folks happy. Pear, stone fruit, powdered milk and ginger-spice notes get the job done. 91 Points.” Halliday Wine Companion, August 2020 [2019 Vintage]. “Straw in colour but it’s a fresh-faced style with clear varietal character. White peach, pear and apple flavour comes with oak spice top notes. It’s...

“It’s a soft chardonnay with creamy, leesy characters as the palate’s main calling card before its zestier, zippier side takes over through the finish. Mellifluous for the most past, rushed with energy thereafter. Elegant..... 94 Points” Campbell Mattinson, Halliday Wine Companion, August 2020 (2019 Vintage. WINERY NOTE: The Mendosa clone creates rich, elegant Chardonnay and we selected this for our first Equilibrio. The wine is opulent, generous and composed with good oak integration all wound together with a citrus and nectarine, creamy freshness. The concept behind our Equilibrio range is to promote the very best barrels, clonal...

IWC Gold Medal. HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION 2020 95 points. "Hand-picked, each vineyard parcel whole-berry pressed, sequentially filled into French oak and wild-fermented. The breadth of the individual components, and further maturation on lees for 9 months, has made a fine and elegant wine. It is incredibly youthful now, but with years to go to reach its best." #TAS

~ Buy Six and Pay $45 net Each ~ James Halliday 95 points. Plenty of funk, plenty happening here in general. Stone fruit, melon and citrus wound in with barrel-ferment and lees characters, all in the right proportions. An attractive textural feel to the palate with nutty oak and flavours of pink grapefruit pushing through, the acidity quite brisk but in balance. Complex and still evolving.