One of the best value Margaret River Chardonnays out there. Michael Kerrigan is doing an amazing job producing Chardonnays of elegance. Hay Shed Hill has delicate grapefruit and stone fruit flavours on the palate. And these flavours are matched with fine, minerally acidity with suble oak towards the finish.

CREDARO 1000 Crowns Chardonnay, Margaret River The Credaro family, originally from northern Italy, settled in Margaret River in 1922. Brothers Cesaro and Olympio worked in agriculture and the timber industry and helped build the regions first bridges, railways and major roads. The family also made wine every year for themselves and their neighbours. Commercial involvement in the wine industry had to wait until the 1980s, when the Credaros began supplying other established Margaret River wineries. In 2019 the family owned and/or managed 110ha of vineyard over five sites across the region and built a 1200-tonne winery near Yallingup in northern Margaret River, in 2003. 1000 crowns (nominally $500) was the Credaro familys original investment and the name is today applied to their flagship wines. The 1000 Crowns Chardonnay typically shows fragrant white peach and citrus aromas with pear and nougat nuances. The palate is rich with flavours of stonefruits, grapefruit and citrus blossom complemented by a creamy texture from lees influence. A fine acid line provides a mineral framework and fruit flavours generally linger through a long, flavoursome finish.

Jeff and Vicky Dewar established Willow Bridge Estate after acquiring a spectacular 180ha hillside property in the Ferguson Valley, a sub region of Geographe. Under winemaker Kim Horton, many of its wines offer exceptional value for money. James Halliday rated their beautiful winery among his ‘Best Wineries of 2014’ and ‘Dark Horse Wineries of 2013’ Their G1-10 Chardonnay is full flavoured, complex and textural, yet still lively and refreshing with refined tight grain french oak offering backbone support. Winemaking exudes minimalist technique to allow expression of site. Bright staw in colour. Lifted citrus, white peach, lemon blossom and almond with intriguing complex elements of fine French oak. A precise palate of harmonious oak teamed with intense stone fruit, citrus and flint like palate, with a long flowing texture leading to fine acidity and spiced oak nuances.

Lifted ripe nashi pears, lemon, quince, and melon, lying beneath are notes of freshly grown lavender blossom with hints of sweet baked apple pie crust and cassia bark from the wines time on yeast lees in bottle. A lovely textural palate is evident immediately, showing quince, subtle lime and just caramelized nougat. This Leeuwin Estate Brut Pinot Noir Chardonnay displays a fine bead that threads the acid line into a seductive mouth filling and long palate.

Woodlands Chardonnay has an attractive nose of grapefruit enhanced by some oak characters. A wine of some finesse with the elements of fruit, oak and acid coming together to produce a wine of exceptional balance and length.

From the ever impressive Yering Station, this Chardonnay offers toasty barrel ferment characters, good supporting oak and ripe peach aromas leading to a textured and well rounded palate. One of the better value examples out there.

Hungerford Hill Chardonnay displays citrus aromas with nuances of nectarine, seasoned spicy oak and minerality on the nose. There is complex layers on the palate compose of great length of acidity balanced by nutty French oak flavours and lees characters.

Bright salmon-pink in colour. This wine is a non-vintage blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with notes of wild strawberries and freshly baked pastry. The palate has a delicate balance of red berries, fine acidity and a rich, creamy texture.

Pale straw green in colour. Complex bouquet, nutty and lifted. The palate is fine and deep with a lengthy finish.