RIPOSTE BY TIM KNAPPSTEIN The Katana Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills

2018 Orlando Lyndale Adelaide Hills Chardonnay,Purity of fruit underlies this wine with an abundance of stone fruit and lemon pith, however it shows plenty of restraint and precision with its tight mineral acid backbone. A multi layered palate with a seamless integration of oak and a harmonious texture that is an outstanding example of modern cool climate Chardonnay.

Red fruit aromas in the red cherry and redcurrant spectrum carry through onto the palate.

Jeffrey Grosset is well known for his sublime and iconic Riesling's, but one should not forget his other brilliant white wine, the Piccadilly Chardonnay. From the Adelaide Hills, this luscious Chardonnay shows stone fruits and citrus on the palate with minerality and long finish. Superb!

Pale Straw in colour. The wine has a lifted, delicate nose with fresh lemon zest, green apple and pear notes whichare enhanced by a subtle savoury complexity. The palate is fresh, fruit driven with a fine persistent bead. Layers of cream and softness, derived from the bottle fermentation are complemented by the crisp, clean finish.

As a young winemaker travelling the globe, the 'Old World' Chardonnay that Ben Riggs fell in love with in the 1980's were described as 'like drinking cold chalk soup', and have inspired him to make this beloved Adelaide Hills Chadonnay. Over the years Ben has been searching for the perfect cold site to make a dry Chardonnay renowned for the purity of its aroma and taste.

With a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, the bouquet offers delightful lifted aromas of strawberry, lemon citrus and underlying notes of biscotti. The palate is elegant and well integrated displaying intense strawberry, nectarine and cashew characters enhanced by partial malolactic fermentation and extended time on yeast lees. The natural acidity provides excellent structure and finesse, with a mouthwatering citrus and nougat finish.

The Nepenthe Altitude Chardonnay is one of the fine crisp and vibrant Adelaide Hills produced wines. Classic varietal aromas of stone fruits and nectarine complemented with refreshing citrus notes on the nose. The pure fruit flavours were enhanced by the lively crisp acidity leading to a lengthy finish.

The Adelaide Hills wine region is known for producing exceptional - quality chardonnay grapes that are intense in flavour and elegant in character. Wicks Estate in Adelaide Hills presented this great Chardonnay which is light straw - yellow in colour. It was created using grapes that were crop - thinned and leaf - plucked extensively by the growers so that superior - quality chardonnay grapes could be obtained from the vineyard. After compression was done and the juice was extracted from the fruit, it was poured into a select range of French barrels so that it could undergo barrel fermentation. The result was this richly flavoured wine that is bound to please most white wine lovers.