Of all the premium white wines we sampled last year; it was the Soumah Hexham Chardonnay that rose to the top. This top class Yarra Valley Chardonnay features the perfect amount of oak and a moreish creaminess. Produced from small single vineyard plantings in the Warramate foothills of the Yarra Valley, Soumah Hexham Chardonnay is brilliant now but patience will be rewarded if cellared up to 5 years if you can keep your hands off it that long. One of the real movers and shakers of the industry in recent times, Soumah is without a doubt one to keep a very close eye on. This is a super complex and extremely alluring example. Produced from small single vineyard plantings in the Warramate foothills of the Yarra Valley, outstanding fruit quality works hand in hand with barrel derived complexities. This complexity around a mid to full bodied core lends its self just perfectly to seafood with the traditional butter sauce accompaniment.

The wine expresses characters of lemon curd, glazed apricot Danish, ginger snap and orange blossom team with savoury underlying buckwheat, lanolin and toasty char complexity. These work in concert with a tactile calcareous interplay underpinning a silky pear-like texture. A lingering line of acidity provides the backbone but allows for the richness, weight and flavour, directing to a resounding and expansive finish. where body, flavour & palate weight co-exist with structure, texture and restrained acidity. Complex fruit characters of white nectarine, saffron, Pink Lady apple, chamomile flower, cashews and Leatherwood honey work in concert with a tactile interplay of chalk, silkiness and Beurre Bosc pear-like texture. Subtle acidity provides the backbone conveying the fruit and weight to a resounding finish.

Sticks Yarra Valley Chardonnay is a quality cool climate Yarra Valley white with flavours of grapefruit, white peach, citrus and oak spice. Excellent texture, definitely a wine to enjoy today.

Stonier is a master of regularly providing excellent cool-climate Mornington Chardonnay at a very reasonable price, the last coule of vintages proving to be exceptional! Fresh and delicate with sherbet and citrus flavours, short term cellaring will be repaid.

Yabby Lake's second label is most impressive; Chardonnay in the modern style - less oak and better acid structure. Textured and classy with matchbox flint, grapefruit and an extremely classy precision.

Pale, straw colour with insinuations of green. Overt, ripe varietal fruit characters on the nose - pineapple, citrus and nectarine derived are from the warm vintage conditions. Mineral characters, orange blossom and almond meal along with some lees derived creaminess are all balanced within this multi-dimensional palate.

The De Bortoli Windy Peak Chardonnay is vibrant yellow with green hues, shows fig-like fruit aromas with barrel ferment characters. The full flavoured palate of melon and fig has great mouth feel and texture.

This is the third vintage of Ballewindi Chardonnay that Sandro Mosele from Kooyong has produced exclusively for us, and he certainly hasn't dropped the ball. Another cracking Chardonnay that proves he is the master of Mornington. Sandro uses whole bunches and barrel fermenting before letting the wine spend 10 months in French oak. There's peach, fresh sweet hay, subtle notes of cream and honeydew melon on the nose. The palate balances ripe stone fruit flavours with hints of citrus and a creamy texture. It's delicate yet rounded, and is a leading light for modern Aussie Chardonnay.

The grapes used to craft Warramate Chardonnay were whole bunch pressed, and fermented in French oak barrels and stainless steel. This led to the creation of a pale straw coloured wine with light green hues highlighting its edges. The attractive bouquet is dominated by intense aromas of orange blossom, lemon citrus peel and sea spray minerality. This enticing Chardonnay flaunts a crisp palate containing tangy grapefruit, white peach and citrus flavours, coupled with light saline notes. A firm acid line balances these vibrant characters to culminate in a focused and lengthy finish. Crafted to be relished upon release, this wonderful white wine can also be cellared for 5 years. It tastes great with vegetable terrines, steamed fish and risotto.

Sourced from Quarry Ridge vineyard at Kilmore, the fruit used to craft Silent Way Pinot Noir was handpicked and fermented in whole bunches. This led to the creation of a crimson hued wine lined by a light magenta haze. The aromatic bouquet gives off scents of Satsuma plums, which make way for a luscious and dense palate replicating these aromas. The climax is concentrated and satisfying. This wonderful Pinot noir has been crafted to be relished within a cellaring term of 3 years, tasting great with foods like crispy duck pancake, mushroom risotto and grilled lobster.