Allies is a collaboration between Barney Flanders and David Chapman who started making wine together in 2003, 200 cases of Pinot Noir, whilst both working at Moorooduc Estate on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula where there first 3 vintages where made.Today they produce a little over 1000 cases divided between Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. In 2006 they made their first Garagiste wines with 150 cases of Pinot Noir and 125 cases of Chardonnay.

Best with fresh natural oysters, lightly seared scallops, bbq prawns and salt and pepper calamari are probably the most obvious yet the best food partners.

Pale Gold, bright hue; the bouquet is understated, showing ripe lemon, cinnamon and a suggesed of steely minerality; the palate follows the line with tighly wound lemon fruit, enveloping a core of fine French oak, cashews and clove; racy acidity provides long, even and precise finish, promising a graceful evolution over time. Rating 95 points. James Halliday.

Armchair Critic, comprising two ranges – Armchair Critic and Under & Over, is Corey Ryan and Nicholas Crampton’s opinion on the way forward for Australian wine globally. Established vineyards in the best regions planted to the most suitable varieties, regardless of fashion, creating balanced wines of character and complexity.

The fruit is sourced from established, high altitude vineyards up to 850m. The fruit is hand picked and partially whole bunch pressed. A temperature controlled fermentation in stainless steel is followed by partial malo-lactic fermentation. The wine is 100% matured for fourteen months in one year old French Oak barrels with limited lees stirring.

A rich and complex Chardonnay that despite the oak maturation and lees work is still very much fruit driven and defined by a backbone of mineral acidity. The nose is fresh and pure with citrus and stone fruit aromas backed by hints of matchstick and toast. The palate is taut and racy with an initial burst of grapefruit and white apple flavours building to a textural and complex finish. This wine will continue to gain complexity and character for up to 10 years.

Chardonnay grapes picked off vines, planted to splendid decomposed granite soils atop the soaring heights of slow ripening Tumbarumba, are minimally handled with a view to maximizing fruit character and regional expression. Under & Over is a fresh and vibrant Chardonnay wine, fashioned to be enjoyed as aperitif or alongside good food, immensely approachable in its youth.

Tumbarumba’s cool climate and elevated aspects, where the vines can be planted to altitudes of 900m, are vital to the production of remarkable Chardonnay wines exhibiting great elegance, subtlety and length. Sustainable viticulture calls for low yields, achieving intense wines of moderate alcohol, requiring minimal additions and limited oak. Armchair Critic source their Chardonnay from some of the finest Tumbarumba sites. Harvests of partially hand picked fruit are completely de-stemmed before a cool and quick, precision actuated vinification to maximise varietal purity. The wine is primarily matured in tank while a smaller component is aged in a selection of mostly older oak barrels for complexity. Alcohol 13.0% 

Pale light straw colour. Crisp aromas of river stones, citrus flowers, stonefruits and lemon. The palate is equally pure and fruit driven with grapefruit, citrus and white apple flavours supported by a fine mineral backbone and bracing acidity. A well balanced wine of character and complexity, crafted to a crisp and refreshing, faintly oaked, fruit driven style, Under & Over is decidedly a grown up style of Chardonnay.

Armchair Critic is the latest sensation set to storm the bargain wine world… Harass the agent to secure your allocations of two of the most exact sub $20 Tumbarumba Chardonnays and Heathcote Shiraz anywhere: Tyson Stelzer

Goodness gracious, talk about Under (priced) & Over (delivering)! Double the dollars and this spanking new brand is still a bargain. The Armchair Critic lads work for McWilliams by day, where they’ve sniffed out some legendary vineyards. Elegant, mineral, restrained grapefruit and white peach; 92 Points - Tyson Stelzer Wine Taste

The price is achieved by partial hand-picking, with destemmed grapes cold-fermented in stainless steel, with a small portion aged in older oak. Light straw-green; the fragrant bouquet has apple, white peach and citrus aromas, the palate with a mix of peach and citrus, oak playing a minimal role. Lovely fresh wine. 13% alc; screwcap; Rating: 90 points Drink: to 2013 Price: $12.99; James Halliday; The Weekend Australian

It’s fresh and juicy with zippy acid and has excellent shape and intensity. Dry finish with lots of tangy citrus, almost passionfruity, flavours. Lively, balanced and excellent to drink , and while it’s a little commercial, it leaves most of its competitors in its wake. Genuine cool climate Chardonnay...Terrific. A bit of bottle age won’t do it any harm either. 90 Points; Gary Walsh; The Wine Front

This one screams out "bargain"…elegant, composed and crisp with grapefruit and pear characters to the fore, only lightly oaked with some nice mouthfeel, length and finishing acid. Winsor Dobbin

Tumbarumba is up there in the altitude stakes and increasingly garnering a fair bit of respect in the winemaking community, big guys and small. This one is all about delicate gingery edges to the white stonefruit aromatics, faint oak backdrops adding interest to the fruit” Quality: 4 stars (A cut above) Value: Fantastic; Tony Love; Taste

Aromas of grapefruit, white peach, minerals and a restrained whisper of old oak…excellent intensity, sustained flavour, amazing length and lip-smacking savouriness. A bargain; Ralph Kyte-Powell – The Age Epicure

Light straw-green; the fragrant bouquet has apple, white peach and citrus aromas, the palate with a mix of peach and citrus, oak playing a minimal role. Lovely fresh wine. 13% alc; screwcap; Rating: 90 points Drink: to 2013 Price: $13; James Halliday Wine Companion 2012

Ashbrook Estate is the quintessential Margaret River boutique winery. Winemaker Tony Devitt is keeping the perfect balance between good French oak and fruit firmly in mind throughout the entire vinification process. The finished wine nevertheless remains essentially driven by the fruit, the final Cuvée exhibits good body, and good strong varietal flavours. Chardonnay grapes were picked in excellent condition, revealing attractive, full fruit flavours. Fermentation in a mix new French oak barriques and steel tanks to develop complexity, richness and intensity. The young wine then spent approximately eight months maturing in barrel whilst still on the fermentation lees.

The long, mild ripening seasons of the Margaret River gives rise to the intense varietal flavours within it's renowned regional Chardonnays. Further enhanced through barrel fermentation in high quality French oak barriques, and an extended period of lees contact, translating into a wine of complexity and richness. Subtly oaked, long Chardonnay. This estate is one of the quietest and highest achievers in Australia, maintaining excellent viticulture and fastidious winemaking!

Light straw yellow in colour. Ashbrook has an intense bouquet of varietal fruit, rich peach and melon aromas, wood characters, combining with strong and complex flavours on the long palate. It's virile aromatics and engaging palate is matched by substantial textures and luxuriant barrel ferment characters, grapefruit and vanillan, cashew, nutmeg and cloves. Powerful flavours suggest the wine will be excellent with a range of flavoursome dishes, shellfish, white meats and tempura.

Ashton Hills Vineyard winemaker Stephen George has long been regarded as an early pioneer of the now well-established viticultural site, the Adelaide Hills. Stephen established his 3ha dry-grown Ashton Hills Vineyard in the Piccadilly Valley in the early 1980s and began producing its first wines in 1987. The style reflects the region’s strong similarity to Burgundy and production levels have stayed true to the boutique nature of the winery’s beginnings.

Made from 26 yr old dry-grown, low yielding grapes with fermentation in new and seasoned French oak using natural and cultured yeasts, followed by the avoidance of malolactic-fermentation, stirring of and maturation on yeast lees.

Bright straw-green; the complex slightly funky bouquet does not prepare you for the tsunami of flavour on the long and classy palate; this is right in white Burgundy territory, with a marvelous aftertaste. 96 points James Halliday 2012 Aust Wine Companion and included in the Best of the Best.

Bannockburn chardonnay is becoming more and more refined - and, most likely, more and more ageworthy. Interesting to read Michael Glover’s comment - in the notes accompanying this wine - that ‘one third of the wine has gone through malolactic fermentation. As we pick our chardonnay at lower and lower Baume, I believe this malolactic influence is becoming more and more desirable to assist with mid palate texture and weight’.

The wine itself is characterised by its length. Great rush of flavour and tang through the finish. Refreshing and exciting. This comes after a seductive, cedary, nectarine-like mid palate. Though of course, back at the start, it’s alive with (white) peachy, leesy, spicy scent. I loved this wine. It needs another couple of years to strut its stuff properly, but it’s all headed in the right direction. Rated : 95 Points Alcohol : 13.5% Price : $52 Closure : Cork Drink : 2012 - 2017 By Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front

The S.R.H. Chardonnay comes off the oldest Chardonnay vines in the Olive Tree Hill Vineyard and is named in recognition of Bannockburn’s founder, Stuart Reginald Hooper. The vines are dry grown, the ferment is with only wild yeast, and the wine always spends two years in barrel (1/3rd new). S.R.H is the definition of refined power. Always restrained, especially when young, it is none the less deep and intense. The 2006 is a stunning example of this wine. It is still very youthful with a lifted nose of citrus and white peach and also plenty of almond meal and spice. The palate is somehow both powerful and tightly wound:  long, lean and coiled with plenty of power driving right through the wine. A beautiful Chardonnay that is damn delicious now yet will clearly benefit from time in the cellar.

Bright green-straw; marries layered complexity with finesse; a potentially great Chardonnay playing dice with the cork gods; the points are a compromise- buy the wine if you are happy to run the gauntlet. 95 points, James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2011

There are so many things I like about this wine. It doesn’t have any alcohol heat, always a good start with Australian chardonnay. It doesn’t have any excess oak, ditto. It has long tangy length, but it is not lean – it has a noticeable richness through the mid-palate. It tastes of nectarine and steel, lemon and toast. Oak, fruit, acid – all work in tandem, and all build towards the finish. Cork permitting, it’s a chardonnay that will live for quite some time. 94+ Points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

This rocks at the moment and the SRH, Bannockburn's top white wine, is a prime example of the importance of texture and palate weight. It's rich, voluptuous but not over-ripe, seductive, with a nose of honey-almond nougat and a touch of white blossom. It builds on the palate with its leesy, nutty characters, making it savoury and moreish. A stunning wine. Best now with lemon-infused roast chicken but will age for at least six years. As with the Serre, only 100 dozen were produced. Jane Faulkner, The Age

Superb green-yellow; an exceptionally intense chardonnay, with awesome drive to the white peach, grapefruit and cashew, the finish long and as fresh as a spring day. Let the cork gods be kind. Price: $75; Drink: to 2017; Rating: 97 Points; James Halliday

The S.R.H. Chardonnay comes off the oldest Chardonnay vines in the Olive Tree Hill Vineyard and is named in recognition of Bannockburn’s founder, Stuart Reginald Hooper. The vines are dry grown, the ferment is with only wild yeast, and the wine always spends two years in barrel (1/3rd new). S.R.H is the definition of refined power. Always restrained, especially when young, it is none the less deep and intense.

McWilliams have long been sourcing fruit from Tumbarumba for some of their most memorable wines. It has taken many years of devoted viticulture and dedication to the land before arriving at 842 Chardonnay. This prolific award winner is the flagship from Tumbarumba’s highest plantings at an altitude of 842 metres. Tumbarumba's cool winters and low temperatures encourage the grapes to ripen slowly, allowing maximum flavour accumulation. The region's granite soils contribute to the overall complexity and palate structure in Barwang 842 Chardonnay. Four different parcels of fruit were sourced from varying sites and aspects throughout Tumbarumba. They each remained separate until the final assembly. Parcels are carefully handled to ensure minimal contact with skins and to encourage maximum fruit flavour. Barwang 842 is treated to a rigorous program of battonage to create complexity and provide longevity. The final wine spent a period of twelve months in barrel on light yeast lees prior to bottling. Approx 13.0%

Pale to medium straw colour. The nose displays true classic cooler climate characters of nectarines, peaches and melons. Fine French oak aromas of pencil shavings are evident, as are creamy notes and undertones of cashews. The palate shows great structure and balance, with the natural acidity giving the wine great length of flavour. The oak highlights cashew notes and a creamy mouthfeel, intense flavours of peaches, rockmelon and some subtle lime also appear.

Trophy ~ Riverina Wine Show 2010
Trophy ~ Riverina Wine Show 2010
Trophy ~ Riverina Wine Show 2010
Gold Medal ~ Canberra Regional Wine Show 2010
Gold Medal ~ Murrumbateman Cool Climate Show 2010
Gold Medal ~ Riverina Wine Show 2010
Blue Gold ~ Sydney International Wine Competition 2011

Robert Parker describes Bass Phillip Pinot: Make no mistake about it...these are brilliant Pinot Noirs, undoubtedly the finest being produced in Australia." The Wine Advocate

Phillip Jones has retired from the Melbourne rat-race to handcraft tiny quantities of superlative Pinot Noir which, at its best, has no equal in Australia. Painstaking site selection, ultra-close vine spacing and the very, very cool climate of South Gippsland are the keys to the magic of Bass Phillip and its eerily Burgundian Pinots. James Halliday

We want our wines to encapsulate the purity, altitude and coolness of our beautiful region. The fruit for this Chardonnay was hand-picked early in the harvest to ensure high levels of natural acidity, fresh and pure fruit characteristics. A gentle hand in the winery, sensitive use of oak and a true belief in fruit quality combine to produce a delicious wine of subtle elegance and regional honesty. Drinking beautifully now, it has the backbone to reward up to 5 years in the cellar. Belgravia

Orange has been making great strides in the production of premium white wine in particular - or at least that is what I am told courtesy of loads of media releases and the like, but it wasn't until much recently that the case for Orange gathered some real pace. First, a fairly unknown winery (to us Southerners) called Printhie made me sit up and take notice with none other than a Sauvignon Blanc. Then, I noticed none other than Penfolds sourcing much of their premium Chardonnay fruit from the region. Next up, I see one of the most respected winemakers (and wine judges) in Philip Shaw making wines under his own label from the district and finally, along comes the Belgravia Vineyard Apex Chardonnay 2010. This is not just one of those honest efforts akin to a school boy getting pats on the head, this is brilliant cool-climate Chardonnay the equal to any bar the absolute highest echolon of Australian examples. This is cool-climate Chardonnay at its finest and with an eye on price, at its absolute bargain basement best.

The first word that comes to mind when looking at this wine is 'linear'. The profile is all about white fleshy fruit, white peach and nectarine. Some citrus of the lemon and lime nature, pine nuts, almonds and subtle oak nuances. From linear to purity, the fruit is well defined and clean and despite its generousity, it maintains its 'modesty' courtesy of fine acidity and gorgeous mouthfeel and texture. It oscillates between elegance and power with such precision, the minerality on display is more akin to Burgundy than it is to a new world style. Bravo. Exceptional wine and one that will broaden and drink well over the next 5 to 8 years. Drink: Now-2016+; Quality: Exceptional BW; WineStar© August 2011

Said to be made from a unique clone on the estate vineyard; whole bunch-pressed and wild yeast-fermented in new French oak; it has bright green colour, with white peach fruit the driver of its flavour; very good texture and structure. Drink to: 2020; Price: $30.00; Alcohol: 13%; Rating: 96 Points - James Halliday Wine Companion

Winemaker Michael Dhillon is obsessed with capturing the essence of his quartz riddled site in every bottle he produces, and manages his vines using a combination of biodynamic and biological techniques. Pinot Noir gets most attention – and it deserves the accolades – but many suspect history will show Bindi to be an even better Chardonnay vineyard: the Quartz Chardonnay has an underlying minerality rarely seen outside Chablis’ grand cru sites..” Max Allen, New World Icons of Today and Tomorrow, Decanter Magazine

The true nature and quality of the wines will be revealed with half a dozen years in bottle but it is reasonable to say that these wines are very consistent with our usual style and have a deeply satisfying level of fruit and site purity and complexity. Tasting through the wines recently with Stuart Anderson he was compelled to say "These are the best wines Bindi has produced." That places high expectations on the wines. Maybe they will be met, maybe not. Regardless, it was very satisfying to hear and time will tell. One thing these wines have in common is they all have a dramatic level of fragrance that leaps from the glass.” Michael Dhillon

Screwcap closure. “The nose is fine and quite complex. It is typically floral and gently spicy with a delicious mealy, pulpy mineral chardonnay fragrance.. The fruit complexities range through white peach, nectarine, lemon, grapefruit and nashi pear. The palate is fresh and intense and walks the line of mouth filling texture combined with finesse and delicacy. It is a beautifully fine and flavoursome wine. It may be at its best in three to five years time. This wine spent just under eleven months in barrel, 25% new and was on lees for ten months.” Michael Dhillon

Margaret River has established an international reputation for high quality chardonnay. The Cape Mentelle style draws inspiration from traditional methods to produce a wine displaying aromatic complexity and a fine, textured palate with a long, clean finish.

Pale straw with lime hues.Grapefruit, pear and lime combine with lifted citrus and jasmine blossom along with fresh brioche. Citrus rind and grapefuit lead the palate to an overall fine yet textural journey. A distinctive minerally line is apparent with focussed refreshing acidity. Faint nuances of soft nougat and cashews add to what is a harmonious balance. With pan seared barramundi fillet, scallop and white asparagus petit salad, beurre blanc. Cellaring: Drink now to 2017.

The chardonnays of Cape Mentelle continue to evolve and this is another superb wine. Minerally and creamy aromas with leesy toasty grapefruit characters. The palate displays a deep intensity with texture and richness held tightly with excellent oak and crisp acid. A most complex wine. 96 Points; Ray Jordan

Finely crafted, balanced and elegant, with pristine aromas of melon, peach and grapefruit tightly knit with sweet tight-grained vanilla and clove-like oak, backed by undertones of ginger, cinnamon, minerals and smoky, leesy complexity ... finishing long, bright and assertive. 95 Points; Jeremy Oliver

Light, bright straw-green; has the Cape Mentelle stamp all over it, a minerally intensity and finesse to the steel core around which the peach and nectarine fruit is wrapped, itself with a fine veneer of French oak; has great length. Drink: 2020; Price: $43; Rating: 95 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion

The wine here is good. Indeed very good. Too young, really, to enjoy fully, but it is going to be pretty sexy when it grows up. It tastes of pears and grapefruit, lemon and nutty, sawdusty oak. It’s got a bit of body but it’s essentially a lean-ish style, with distinct metallic, minerally aspects to the finish. Excellent peristence. Pretty swish-o. Rated : 94+ Points Alcohol : 13% Price : $42 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2011 - 2016; By Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front

Up until a few years ago, this wine got lost in the portfolio of the famous Champagne producer, but not anymore. The last 4 vintages released have been at least excellent in quality and it is no surprise that the magical 2010 vintage has produced a wine that is the epitome of the modern Australian take on still, our most popular variety. The nose is eerily Mersault like with white stone fruit aromas of nectarine, white peach as well as hints of roasted nuts and a gorgeous spice that loiters with intent. Initially the fruit swarms the mouth but this is quickly tidied up with a steely, minerally and lovely textured palate and some broader flavours through the mid and back palate. The acid on the end is perfectly played, the package as a whole almost clinical in its execution. The first glass disappears very quickly, it is indeed more-ish as one critic put it.

Trophy – Best Dry White – 2011 National Wine Show of Australia
Top Gold – 2011 National Wine Show of Australia
 
Light straw-green; the wine has a very expressive and complex bouquet of cashew, grapefruit and nectarine, the palate picking up this lead-in to perfection, intense and tightly structured, yet nonetheless allowing the fruit to shine through. Oak is present, but marginalised in a wine that shows how much flavour can be harnessed at such low alcohol levels. 12.5% Alcohol; RRP: $28.00; Drink: to 2018; Rating: 96 Points; James Halliday; The Weekend Australian, November 19th, 2011
 
Gorgeous rich, toasty complexity of aromas and flavours. Spicy/minerally/lemon aromas and a creamy, textured palate tasting of lemony fruit. "Very more-ish," said one judge. 5 Stars * * * * * Winestate Magazine
 
Mattinson and I just can’t get enough Chardonnay action. We are, of course, aware that Bennie is a Riesling Freak, but he’s entitled to his little perversions. This is a Modern Australian style done right. Grapefruit and white peach gently seasoned with high quality spicy oak. It’s fine boned and delicate, but delivers plenty of flavour and intensity, with a back palate that positively soars. Charming. Beautiful to drink. I’ve written “I’m 93 on that!”, but I suspect it’s slightly better again. So let’s do it. Let’s fall in love. Rated : 94 Points Tasted : Jun11 Alcohol : 12.5%; Price : $27.95; Closure : Screwcap; Drink : 2011 - 2016; By Gary Walsh; The Wine Front
 
In a fitting start to winter, Domaine Chandon has achieved an impressive five medals at the International Cool Climate Wine Show, including a gold medal for the newly released Domaine Chandon Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2010. Domaine Chandon Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2010 was one of only two Chardonnays to receive a gold medal in Class 4: 2010 Vintage Chardonnay and was the only Chardonnay from the Yarra Valley, making it a particularly sweet result for Still Winemaker Lilian Carter. International Cool Climate Wine Show

Made at a new (2002) on-campus commercial winery by a full-time winemaker with significant student assistance during vintage, and some through the year. Pale straw-green; a highly aromatic bouquet of grapefruit, white peach and white flowers leads into a finely-framed, light bodied palate, with a touch of French oak. From Orange/Wagga Wagga, NSW Drink to 2012 with seared tuna; $14.30, Screwcap, 12.5% alc; 93 points & Halliday’s Top 100 – The Weekend Australian, November 23, 2009
 
Pale straw-green; a highly aromatic bouquet of grapefruit, white peach and white flowers leads into a finely-framed, light bodied palate, with a touch of French oak. Screwcap. 12.5% alc. Rating 93 Points; Drink 2012 $14.30 Date Tasted Sep 09 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2011
 
What is it with Charles Sturt University Chardonnay and odd numbered vintages? If measured purely on the efforts of 2005, 2007 and this little beauty out of 2009 then it must surely be the best value Chardonnay on the country? It also gives credence to the Orange people (of the Central Tablelands of NSW, not the religious nuts) that this area produces top-class Chardonnay fruit. Throw in the talents of winemaker Andrew Drumm and his team and one begins to understand how these guys have been raking in big awards while competing with the big boys and doing so at beautiful low prices.
 
I said it about both the '05 and '07 and it is not wine show or judge talk - but it smells good! It has the most wonderful tropical and stonefruit aromas but also hints of floral and a delicate touch of marmalade lurking in the background with the merest hint of oak. The hallmark of the best vintages of this wine has been the remarkable length and so it is again, impressive at any price. Indeed, you could pay two or three times the money for this sort of quality and presentation and not for a second think you were being 'touched'. I wouldn't bother sitting on this, get it open and enjoy now, I look forward to the next odd-numbered vintage! Now-2014; Quality: Excellent BW; WineStar© July 2010

OK, so the bulk of this wine is from its vineyards in Orange, but the university is based in Wagga Wagga and a portion of chardonnay from its local Riverina winery gives the wine tropical fruit notes and added weight to the palate, adding to the complexity. And there’s quite a bit of complexity here for the money. Cantaloupe, peach, blossom, apple and fig aromas lead to flavours of stonefruit, hints of tropical fruit, citrus juice and pith along with nice minerality. It’s well structured, with a creamy texture and bright acid. Can’t ask for more, really. Food match \ Grilled scallops; 4 Stars * * * * Ben Thomas; Melbourne Weekly

Crafted to a combination of traditional hands-off and modern winemaking techniques, Cloudy Bay Chardonnay is an intriguing and textural wine. Packed full of citrus and stonefruit characters, the fruit is enhanced by an attractive nuttiness and subtle oak influence.

The grapes are predominantly the Mendoza clone sourced from Cloudy Bay Estate and grower vineyards located throughout the Wairau and Brancott Valleys. The majority of the crop is hand picked and loaded directly into tank presses. The remainder is harvested into small bins and pressed. After settling, the majority of the juice is transferred directly to barrels and allowed to ferment using indigenous yeast strains before undergoing malolactic. The rest is transferred to tanks and inoculated with a cultured yeast strain, before transfer to barrel for fermentation. Components are assembled after a year in French oak barrels and a further period on yeast lees prior to a light fining for clarification.

Bright straw in colour. An irresistible mix of ripe citrus and toasted nut aromas reminiscent of grapefruit, fig and pistachio biscotti taken with chamomile tea. The palate leads with savoury notes which give way to a taut citrus core, revealing the vibrant Marlborough fruit. Natural yeast fermentation and judicious oak handling combine to deliver a refined and textural finish. Cloudy Bay is delicious in its youth with pure fruit flavours of grapefruit and white peach enhanced by a biscuity, mineral complexity and restrained oak.

The wine is medium straw in colour with a green tinge. The nose has rich melon and figs with a hint of oak and buttery complexity. The palate is full flavoured combining melon characters with a creamy texture balanced by a soft dry finish. Suitable to drink now or for short term cellaring. Serve with seafood or white meat dishes.

Cockatoo Ridge wines reflect the real taste of Australia – fruit driven with complexity and depth of flavour. This full-bodied Chardonnay displays ripe melons and figs enhanced by subtle oak character.

With well in excess of a hundred hectares under vine, completely estate owned and operated, Coldstream Hills can exercise their options to source grapes from a litany of Upper as well as Lower Yarra Valley vineyards, ensuring that only the best quality fruit is included into their profound Chardonnays. In lesser years, Coldstream does not release a Reserve, directing all their finest fruit into this very wine.

The Yarra Valley's cooler, slow ripening climes yield the most distinctive wines. Chardonnay typifies the Coldstream Hills style, with good varietal expression foremost on the bouquet and palate. There is an emphasis placed on showcasing the fruit and deriving length of flavour. The aim is to construct a Chardonnay wine characterised by elegance and finesse, enhanced by subtle oak complexity. Grapes are selected on the basis of heightened flavour profiles, good balance between natural sugar and acid. Barrel fermented and matured in a combination of new and seasoned French oak barriques with occasional lees stirring, the wine is vinified without any malolactic treatment to remain an essentially fruit driven style

Pale straw green in colour. The nose shows attractive characters of citrus, nectarine and quince with underlying toasty oak. White peach, nectarine and lemon characters dominate the palate, with cashew nut barrel ferment characters, toasty French oak and slatey minerality providing additional complexity. Coldstream Hills represents a classic cool climate style of Chardonnay with excellent intensity of fruit, rejuvenating acids and tightly reined in, well controlled oak.

This Chardonnay was made from fruit grown on three separate blocks, in which the loamy surface soil overlays laterite and clay. The oldest Chardonnay vines were planted in 1976 and the youngest in 1988 and thus even the latter are well over twenty years old. The antiquity of those vines helps account for the complexity of the Kevin John Chardonnay. The fruit for the 2009 Kevin John was picked at intervals over two weeks and at Baumés ranging from 12.1 to 13.5˚. It was then whole bunch pressed using a basket press and the juice fermented employing wild yeasts. The wine was matured for 9 months in new French oak and bottled following minimal fining and filtration.

Brilliant straw colour with green tinges. Complex, peach and citrus fruit flavours are backed by subtle vanillin oak. Integrated and pure pear and peach fruit flavours are perfectly complemented by the crisp acidity and the benefits of maturation in high quality oak. Superbly balanced and with great length and line. Persistent and delicious. Cellaring 10 years. Food Seafood and chicken.

The (biodynamically grown) grapes are hand picked over the course of a couple of weeks, at a variety of ripeness levels. They are then wild yeast fermented – as they have  been at Cullen for many years. This wine announces its quality instantly. The flavours aren’t flashy or obvious but the first sip made me lean back in the chair and whisper Wow. It’s hard to describe why, though the wine’s piercing length is the main suspect. There are flavours of mineral and grapefruit, ripe pear and tropical fruit. There’s some creamy oak to be enjoyed too. But all these flavours feel refined and controlled. It’s a quiet but immensely confident wine. There’s a lot of lemony, spicy push through the finish. And it has both a sunniness and a seriousness. It is, undeniably, an outstanding chardonnay. Rated : 96 Points Alcohol : 13.5% Price : $105 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2013 - 2020; Campbell Mattinson

The bouquet has a delightful array of floral notes, almond meal and citrus. You can also pick up vanilla pod and fine woody notes. At this stage it is beautifully subtle and tight. The initial impression is tight and citrusy. The focus is on pure, long, fine Chardonnay flavours. The wine is almost sherbet-like with its lime and honey profile as well as being beautifully balanced and linear on the palate.

Our 25th vintage of Dalwhinnie Chardonnay and still in top form. The Chardonnay has evolved over the years and the development of today’s style has seen a refining of viticulture techniques like using organic fertilizers and picking the grapes at optimum freshness, meaning picking very early. Vinification remains virtually the same except the wine now sees less oak but still the best quality French oak. And finally, the wine is marketed as a wine for the table or a ‘food wine’ with the obvious choice being smoked trout or a chestnut ravioli with a lemon-butter sauce. Drink over the next 6 years.

The concept of wine being too fruity may seem far-fetched for a product made from grapes – especially given Australia's export success with fruity, "sunshine in a bottle"wines. But Australia's best chardonnay makers, including De Bortoli's Steve Webber, headed down this less fruity path a decade or more ago. Webber writes, "Whilst it is important to have nuance of variety and oak, the characters of site, season, texture and minerality are equally important to us." Webber's subtle, richly textured 2010 chardonnay is an affordable and excellent example of the style. Chris Shanahan, Canberra Times, July 2011

The hallmarks of it's quality are twofold: texture and finesse. It feels good as it patters along your tongue and then, just before it disappears down your throat, it begins to tip-toe it's way out through the finish. It does not lack flavour and it doesn't not lack length either, but it does have a delicate touch. It tastes of hazelnut and citrus, powdered milk and green nectarine / melon. It needs an extra year or two in the bottle but time will see it build. Decanting is advised. 94 Points; Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, July 2011

Light straw with a green edge. Complex nutty mineral Chardonnay. Tight lean citrus like fruit with hazelnut undertones. Long flavoured palate with texture. The 2007-2008 growing season was warm and dry. Cooler conditions with some rain closer to harvest gave some lovely humid conditions ideal for Chardonnay. 2008 was a lovely year for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Fruit is ‘Estate Grown’ from one of our oldest vineyards planted in 1986 and extended in 1990. The site is planted in a N-S row orientation and faces mainly south. The soils are highly mineral Humevale siltstone which give us some of our most interesting wine. The grapes are hand picked and whole bunch crushed and pressed to extract some good phenolics for texture and minerality. The juice is allowed to ferment naturally in older French oak casks. Lees are stirred regularly until spring. Fine, elegant, delicious vintage. 10 months in older French oak casks – 225 L barriques.

Terrific purity here with freshly sliced melon, citrus and stone fruits. Nice complex palate texture, quite grippy and dense, finishing with peach nougat and handy resolve. 94 Points; Nick Stock, Wine 100, March 2011