What we have here is the StarDozen: Critic's Choice Chardonnay Collection featuring 3 bottles each from 4 different regions of Australia which not only scored 92 Points or better from Australia's leading Wine Critics but also shows the diversity of this variety with an example from the Adelaide Hills, Pemberton, Padthaway and the Yarra Valley.

The StarDozen consists of the following:

3 bottles        Tread Softly Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2021
3 bottles        The Lane Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2022
3 bottles        Stonehaven Limited Vineyard Release Padthaway Chardonnay 2022
3 bottles        Rosenthal Garten Pemberton Chardonnay 2022

Tread Softly Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2021
Very much the modern approach here. Good value, good drinking, lower than usual alcohol (11%) and consideration given to the impact on the environment. The wine sees time in used French oak barriques. Pale lemon in colour, the nose offers citrus notes and gentle oak integration. Florals, cashes, lemons, the palate has some richness and depth but the wine is fresh and delicious. There are lovely crème brulee and lemon pie notes on the palate. Very good length, this should drink well over the next four to six years. And such cracking value. Drink: 2023 - 2026; Price: $22.00; Rating: 92 Points; Ken Gargett

The Lane Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2022
From the estate vineyard east of the Hahndorf township in the central Adelaide Hills, a mix of blocks, aspects and clones provide for a collective, best-on-ground expression of contemporary, cool-climate Chardonnay. Hills specific detail here brings to the fore white stone fruit and apple orchard blossom characters – nasal and palate – with a faint suggestion of lime in the shadows. Underneath these attractive top-notes, there’s a complex flavour stream, crunchy new-season apples and subtle baking spices – almost like liquid apple crumble – with a compatible, gently creamy finishing texture to round out a deliciously crafted, satisfyingly moreish wine. Tasted: June 2023; Drink: 2023 - 2027; Price: $30.00; Rating: 94 Points; Tony Love

Stonehaven Limited Vineyard Release Padthaway Chardonnay 2022
Great value Chardonnay from Padthaway. The wine is a pale green/lemon hue. It hails from the leaner, more elegant end of the spectrum, but at no time is lacking in flavour. Good intensity here, with notes of citrus, notably grapefruit and a hint of freshly squeezed lime. Florals, a whiff of stonefruit and some nutmeg notes from the oak (40% was racked to oak for fermentation and then the wine spent eight months in barrel). A fine, well-crafted Chardy with hints of oatmeal on the palate. Very good length and it maintains its intensity throughout so is delicious now and that will continue over the next five to seven years. Tasted: June 2023; Drink: 2023 - 2030; Price: $30.00; Rating: 93 Points; Ken Gargett

Rosenthal Garten Pemberton Chardonnay 2022
Soured from Pemberton, which has contributed to an almost delicate restraint that presents so well. Barrel fermented with a small portion of wild yeast and then a mix of 10% new oak and older oak maturation. The textural element has been introduced through four months of lees stirring. It's creamy and smooth with a nectarine and almond meal combination sitting within the palate. There is also a lively minerality with a slightly crystalline texture. Tasted: March 2023; Drink: 2023 - 2030; Price: $35.00; Rating: 92 Points; Ray Jordan