The D'Anna family purchased their Upper Yarra Property in 1960, established the vineyard in 1997, the split-level winery in 2003. A delicious chardonnay, exemplifying the Yarra Valley style with its length and finesse; white peach and nectarine fruit flow smoothly across the palate, oak and acidity in perfectly balanced support. Screwcap $18.99. From: Yarra Valley, Vic. Drink: to 2014 with fettuccini and clams. 95 points & Halliday’s Top 100 Wines for 2009 –  The Weekend Australian November 14-15, 2009

Gold Medal - 2009 Royal Melbourne Wine Show

Hoddles Creek's pinot noir is so good that I often forget about the chardonnay - but this is another beauty. Value doesn't come much higher. It has a steely, dry, citrussy finish but there's a power of fruit flavour cruising through the centre of it. The nose is funky, sulphurous, the palate then riven with grapefruit and pineapple and lemon. Smoky oak is beautifully integrated and it's seriously long. It's fresh and penetrating, yet generous. Outstanding wine. Rated : 93 Points Alcohol : 13.5% Price : $18.99 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2010 - 2015 Campbell Mattinson; The Wine Front

I often talk about pedigree or lineage in a wine.  The adulation afforded Hoddles Creek Estate Yarra Valley Chardonnay since its inception is consistent as it is remarkable. If we take the biggest critic of all, James Halliday, his last four ratings of this wine have been 96, 94, 94 and 94 for the last released (2007). These reviews after all are for a wine that still retails for under twenty dollars. With that in mind, geez it is hard to say something earth shatteringly good for yet another outstanding release in the 2008 - other than it is yet another outstanding release. Like its predecessors, it too won't hang around too long and certainly sell out long before the next vintage comes around.

A youthful straw with a tinge of green, the nose shows loads of white fleshy and stone fruit characters which have been the hallmark of the label for the last couple of years especially. In the mouth it reveals subtle nuances of quality fruit which are tightly bound and would suggest that its best days are well ahead of it. Just for good measure, this release has an added dimension with the smallest degree of what appears to be wild yeasts - I'm sure the winemaker will set me straight - and a tad of barrel ferment complexity. The acid on the back completes it splendidly. It really is quite a delicious wine and not for the first time, ridiculously good value for a twenty buck wine. My advice would be to resist the urge to consume all now and put a few bottles down - this could develop into something quite special. Drink: Now-2018; Quality: Excellent BW; WineStar© April 2009