The fruit for this Onannon Mornington Pinot Gris was handpicked and pressed immediately into the tank. It is then settled overnight and racked to both tank and old barrels. A cool fermentation took place over two months during which the wine was stirred regularly to increase texture. Resulting in wine with great aromas such as ripe pears, mixed stone fruits with hints of cooked green apple in the background. It then leads to a full flavoured, textured palate with a delightful finish.

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.

A benchmark chardonnay from master wine-maker Rob Dolan out of the Yarra Valley. Packed full of grapefruit, white peach, cashew & nutmeg aromas brimming from the glass followed by a mineral consistency on the palate with extended length on the finish. Will easily cellar for another 5 years if you can wait that long.

Brilliant straw colour with a hint of green around the edges and watery hue. Intermeshed aromas of cashew, delicate white peach, biscuity oak, light toast and spice. Elegant with light to medium weight and excellent rounded creamy like textural qualities the palate possesses flavours of delicate white peach, cashew, nougat and spicy biscuity oak. Clean dry finish. Aftertaste of white peach, cashew and lightly toasted biscuity oak. Ageing: Drink over the next year. Food: Chinese steamed chicken.

David Bicknell is a Chardonnay perfectionist with a passion for terroir and contrasts in the characters of different vineyard sites. In the glass: Bright fine straw with a green hue. On the nose: Fabulous purity and lift with ripe, complex stonefruit combining with lees and struck match magic. On the palate: A complex funky monster! It shows tremendous depth and umami being satiny soft throughout with amazing refined power and balance and extraordinary length and persistence. Classy!

Attractive coppery pink in the glass. The nose has notes of musk, candied orange peel, fresh blood orange, sour cherry, fresh herbs and a slight Campari twist. Bitter-edged on the palate with that blood orange note, with musky pear, peach and strawberry fruit. It has a soft phenolic texture along with zesty tannins that add a pleasant grip. Finishes dry, clean and tangy. Engaging and moreish, with impressive finesse for this style of wine, and with a good volume of fresh fruit to balance the phenolic and savoury skinsy elements.