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Mature biscuity and baked pastry aromas lead to a soft, creamy and textured palate. Fine bubbles with great length

Oakridge Wines Vineyard Series Willowlake Chardonnay, Yarra Valley The wines from the Willowlake Vineyard provide a fascinating contrast to those from the Henk Vineyard. First planted in 1992, the vineyard is located near Gladysdale and boasts red volcanic soils and an elevation of 170 metres. Like every wine in the Vineyard Series, minimal intervention in the winery is the name of the game. After hand harvesting, whole bunches are included in the fermentation which takes place in 500 litre French oak puncheons. After nine months maturation on yeast lees, the resulting wine serves up complex characters of citrus, nectarine, fresh dough and gun flint. In a word, its sublime.

Toolangi is a state forest just outside Healesville that was devastated during Black Saturday. The excellent vineyards remain, and continue to produce wines of personality and place. The Chardonnay combines varietal characters of quince and crab apple with some delicious nutty oak nuances. Its great value.

Coldstream Hills has been consistently producing excellent Yarra Valley Chardonnay for years and if anything it keeps getting better. Stone fruit and grapefruit characters are supported by creamy nutty oak.

Yering Station's Yarra Chardonnay displays citrus and subtle cashew notes on the nose with soft minerality and freshness. The palate has great texture and roundness with linear acidity with wonderful length and precision.

The Yarra Valley is renowned for its excellence in Pinot Noir and this expression is no exception. In the glass: Medium garnet red. On the nose: Ripe dark berry fruit. On the palate: Bold, quite powerul red plum and raspberry fruit with some background stalky, herbal elements. Firm and dry yet flavoursome and varietal.

The Yarra Valley is one of the heavyweight regions for Australian Chardonnay, with finesse and length of flavour the hallmarks of the regional style. In the glass: Pale lemon green. On the nose: Apple, grapefruit, oatmeal and almond aromas. On the palate: Fine, elegant and poised yet with power and drive and a delicious core of white and yellow fruits. A savoury, almost salty layer adds complexity, velvety texture and racy acidity.

In the glass: Vibrant mid-red. On the nose: Sweet cherry and raspberry fruit with notes of stalk and spice - so beautifully perfumed. On the palate: Vibrant and fresh, supple and juicy with ripe cherry and plum varietals, subtle stalky complexity, warm earthy notes, nicely integrted vanillin oak and savoury persistence. A complete wine - powerful yet refined, complex and layered with full Pinot Noir charm on show.

This is a classic Yarra Valley Chardonnay from the Wedgetail estate, elegant, generously and voluptuous in style. It offers aromas of citrus, cashews, pear and a hit of vanilla. The mouth fill is full and satisfying with a crisp finish. Drinking beautifully now, and if well cellared will age gracefully for the next 5 to 8 years.

The wine is tightly packed full of black fruit, spice, cloves, and liquorice. The grape tannins are soft and are beautifully integrated into the wine, giving the wine structure and adding power, balance and a savoury richness. Adam Marks established Bress in 2001 with a desire to produce wines with fruit sourced from notable regions and minimal intervention.“We believe certain grape-growing regions are better suited to particular grape varieties than others,” says winemaker Adam Marks. “The French have understood this for several centuries and some Australian wine producers are now embracing this belief.” Bress, located in Harcourt near Bendigo, Victoria, is one such producer. Adam doesn’t restrict himself to sourcing grapes from one specific region; he’d rather make the most of the diversity of climates and soils central Victoria has to offer and looks to the Yarra Valley, Macedon Ranges, Bendigo and Heathcote for the best quality fruit.