Yabby Lake Chardonnay has a lifted and fine nose, which is complex and beguiling. The palate is fine and tightly wound together with a precise mineral intensity. Great length and poise, the wine finishes with great purity. Stored carefully this wine will age gracefully for at least eight years. 'The epitome of modern Australian Chardonnay, fruit, oak and natural acidity seamlessly woven together into a wine that will always have an element of restrained delicacy, but will flourish mightily with five years in bottle, and live much longer' - 96 points, James Halliday.

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.

Hand harvested, hand sorted & whole bunch pressed. Natural fermentation is on high solids with partial malolactic. Barrel fermented in 500-litre puncheons (20% new François Frères), the wine is matured on lees for 10 months before bottling.A bright & punchy Chardonnay; Lemon & grapefruit citrus. Sherbert. Spicy oak. slight lees funkiness. A good lengthy finish.

Grapes sourced from the 6-acre Robinson vineyard where the 25-year-old vines are rooted in black sand over brown sandy loam. North-facing site, harvested early on the 18th February. Warmer & more stable microclimate here generates a fleshier, more satin textured wine. The early harvest & partial malo provide the requisite mouthwatering crunch.A powerful & intense Chardonnay. Bright citrus & stonefruit, fig, spiced oak, flint, almost cider-like characters. Striking acidity & a lengthy finish.

Le Stagiaire Chardonnay is drawn mostly from Garagistes Merricks vineyard, with the balance coming from Balnarring and Tuerong. Barney Flanders doesn't make these wines specifically for this labelall his ferments start out as potential single-vineyard wines, so the single-site wines are barrel selections, with the remaining wines bottled under Le Stagiaire. This provides some idea of how this label is able over-deliver, year in year out.

GAFFY AND NEAL Merricks North Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula

Crisp and Dry. An ideal accompaniement to the festive season!

Made in only one vintage from the extraordinary Turramurra Vineyard (which usually sells it's highly sought after fruit to the icon winemakers of Mornington Peninsula) the 2018 Chardonnay is the brainchild of the Hamilton family, legends of international motorsport and the first importers of Porsche cars to Australia. The Turramurra vineyard is located in exceptional soils and topography allowing the wine to be harvested at ripeness but retains great acidity giving the wine balance, elegance and complexity and now with bottle age, depth and character. This has been cellared for maturation, is ready to drink but will cellar well for another few years and has a fascinating back story.