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 93 Points or better from Australia's leading Wine Critics but also shows the diversity of this variety with an example from the Adelaide Hills, Margaret River, Barossa and the Yarra Valley.

The StarDozen consists of the following:

3 bottles        Rising One Acre Chardonnay 2021
3 bottles        Schild Old Vine Barossa Valley Chardonnay 2024
3 bottles        Longhop Valley View Chardonnay 2024
3 bottles        Byron & Harold Rags to Riches Chardonnay 2024

Rising One Acre Chardonnay 2021
Made from 30-year-old vines planted on a south-facing slope at Rising in Nillumbik; whole-bunch pressed to French oak (25% new). A brilliant, light green gold. Subtle and engaging with its bouquet of just picked stone fruits, lemon confit, grilled nuts and a whiff of sea spray. Still tightly wound on the saline, compact and satisfying palate. A lovely wine which has still yet to fully hit its straps. Date: Sept 2024; Alcohol: 12.5%; Price: $45.00; Drink by: 2027; Rating: 96 Points & Special Value Star; James Halliday Wine Companion

Schild Old Vine Barossa Valley Chardonnay 2024
Elegant and stylish, the bouquet shows nuances of white-fleshed stone fruit, lemon peel, nougat, and almond meal, followed by a finely flowing palate that's succulent and creamy. Splendidly supported by beautifully pitched acidity, finishing harmonious and persistent. At its best: now to 2030. Date: Nov 2025; Rating: 93 Points; Wine Orbit

Longhop Valley View Chardonnay 2024
The grapefruit characters are strong here. That's a good thing. There's plenty of thrust to this wine, it's almost piercing through the finish, but the wealth of flavour – citrus rind, steel, smoked nougat, grapefruit and yellow stonefruit – is both significant and impressive. At $28 this is out-of-the-box good. It's a definite-buy. Date Tasted: September 2025; Alcohol: 12.5%; Price: $28.00; Rating: 93+ Points; Campbell Mattinson; Wine Front

Byron & Harold Rags to Riches Chardonnay 2024
This fuller-bodied Chardonnay opens with golden peach, ripe lemon, vanilla pod and warm oak spice. The palate is lush yet balanced, offering generous fruit weight supported by a lively acid line. Textural richness from lees work adds depth and a gentle creamy character, enhancing the wine's overall presence. Subtle notes of honeycomb, almond and toasted oak linger through the finish. It's expressive, confident and built with impressive precision for a richer style. Expect it to expand in complexity over the next 3-4 years. A superb expression of region and variety; poised, polished and classically proportioned. Rated: 94 Points; Vino Masters