Pierro Chardonnay
Margaret River is a world renowned Chardonnay producing region and Pierro can rightfully stake a claim as to why. Incredibly complex, it is a tangle of fine-boned acid, lees complexity, pristine fruit and the most detailed use of good quality oak. Extremely enjoyable now, but will benefit from short to medium term cellaring.
Savaterre Chardonnay
Sourced from dry-grown, hand tended vines in the north east of Victoria, this Beechworth Chardonnay from Savaterre will surely convince even the most hardened Chardonnay critic that modern Australian Chardonnay is of supreme world-class standard. Keppell Smith handcrafts a Chardonnay of utmost power and concentration that produces a length of flavour that borders on the immortal.
Domaine Du Chateau de Meursault Clos du Chateau
DOMAINE DU CHATEAU DE MEURSAULT Clos du Chateau, Bourgogne Blanc
Bannockburn Chardonnay
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.
Izway Harold Shiraz
The 2018 Harold opens with intense aromas of black olive, cassis and coffee, complimented by subtler tones of lavender and violets. It is immediately apparent that this is a powerful, dark, brooding and soulful wine. The texture is rich yet lithe, and the freshness in the wine carries the depth with poise. Liquorice, dark chocolate and blackberry dominate the classically brackish palate. The cool vintage conditions provide balanced acidity and soft, ripe tannin. It is pure Northern Barossa Shiraz from a tiny, old plot in the heart and soul of the western ridge, Moppa. Decant and enjoy now or keep in the cellar for the next 8-10 years. I grew up in the Wimmera in Victoria at a time when the creeks and lakes flowed bountifully with water. We regularly fished for trout in these lakes and Dad, being a tragic angler, would never be short of gear. Sometimes we would share 20 fishing rods between our family of five, which eventually caused issues as we could not tell which rod was biting. We decided to name the rods, and in doing so they took on their own personalities. Harold Fisher was an old, traditional, grain farmer that Dad sold tractors to, and he wasnt renowned for his abilities as a scholar or fashionista. It was obvious to name a rod after Harold, but little did we know that this rod was to become as much a part of the family as the rest of us. A legend in and out of the water, Harold was purchased in the 1950s and is still used to this day. He is old and grumpy yet freakishly talented. The 2018 Vintage once again proved that timing is everything. Following a wet growing season in 2017, we had minimal autumn and winter rain, setting us up for a potentially difficult year. However, spring provided us with bountiful water and the season was set from there. We experienced another dry and hot summer, which restricted our yields but amplified the quality of the harvest. For Izway, a late March start resulted in cool picking conditions, lower alcohols and incredible purity and energy in our wine. The result is another spectacular vintage characterized by intensity and elegance. Izway wines was conceived on a handshake between two Aussie wine makers in a chateau in Beaujolais. Brian Conway and Craig Isbel met during vintage at Chateau de Bluizard in 2002 and after many nights drinking pastis they decided to start their own winery in the Barossa Valley.
Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard 1.5m Chardonnay
As featured on "Battle of the Vines": About the Tapanappa, Liinaa effuses, Its got power, a lot of stone fruit characters you often find with a Burgundy wine, but also it has ripping acidity, its razor sharp, pristine. Its got a very beautiful expression of wet stones and textures, its layered, with a bit of spice as well.
Levantine Hill Yarra Valley Chardonnay
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.
Tyrrell's Wines Vat 47 Chardonnay
Vat 47 from the Hunter Valley has a silky bouquet of melon stone fruit and creamy oak that is followed by a palate of extraordinary balance and length. An absolute classic and will only get better with some medium term ageing.
Bannockburn Vineyards S.R.H
Tyrrell's Vat 47 Chardonnay
What a magnificent wine! A pioneer in the modern Australian Chardonnay stakes, the Vat 47 from the Hunter Valley has a silky bouquet of melon stone fruit and creamy oak that is followed by a palate of extraordinary balance and length. An absolute classic and will only get better with some medium term ageing.