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.

Australia's first boutique winery, Lake's Folly Cabernets is an Australian wine treasure. More Bordeaux in nature than most, the Cabernets is a wine of pristine purity and elegance. With a sense of place that can be tasted in every bottle across all vintages, Lake's Folly Cabernets is a must have for all serious wine collectors and lovers. The 2010 is a young, robust version that will require some time in the cellar to really show its complex characteristics and refined palate.

Spicy, faintly floral aromas of stone fruit, grapefruit, lime juice and coriander are backed by matchstick-like oak and a hint of mineral. It's round and creamy, smooth and voluptuous, with a gentle, mouthfilling core of flavour and nougat-like complexity finishing with a hint of butter, gentle lemony acids and a faint smokiness. Crushed and pressed with full solids straight to oak (20% new), both primary fermentation and malolactic were natural. Elevage: 8 months on lees in oak before being racked and filtered in preparation for bottling. Hand-picked on 12th March 2018 First established in 1995, Toolangi Vineyards is located in the Yarra Valley adjoining the Toolangi State Forest. This Chardonnay is grown on fine clay loam and produces grapes which represent the unique site. Low cropped and hand harvested from 23 year old vines of I1OV3 clone grapes on D Block rows 35 55. The 2018 harvest will be remembered fondly by winemakers in the Yarra Valley. It was a rare season that gave above average yields and excellent quality fruit. Dry sunny conditions with cool overnight temperatures provided good natural acidity and concentrated wines at lower alcohol levels.

This unfiltered Chardonnay was made at Giaconda by Rick Kinzbrunner using traditional techniques. Quite sublime buttery richness with perfect balance of acid and oak integration.

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.

Tyrrell's Vat 8 is the archetypal blend of tradition and modernity. With a strong history in both the Hunter Valley and Hilltops regions, Tyrrell's are able to showcase the very best in modern Australian winemaking. The Vat 8 consists of a majority Hunter Valley Shiraz the lends beauty, flavour and ripeness and a small parcel of Hilltops Cabernet which supports the Shiraz with power and structure. Elegant and pristine early, this is a wine that will enjoy some time in the cellar to further develop it already obvious complexity.

From the famed premier cru site of Cote de Lechet, this boasts an ultra elegant nose of citrus zest blossom, oyster shell, warm stone and lemon zest. A fantastic old school style of Chablis that also offers fantastic value for money for a wine at this quality level.

Released with bottle age this is a wine which will still continue to evolve over many years the toasty lemony flavours becoming richer and more intense. A classic benchmark Hunter Semillon, it has earned its place in the Langtons Classification of Australian Wine.

FABIEN COCHE, Bourgogne Chardonnay Grandes Coutures

Graceful chardonnay woven with whispers of new French oak. From the cool climate single vineyard; Coal River Valley, Tasmania. Handpicked on a fruit day on the full harvest moon, whole bunch pressed, wild ferment en new demi-muid. Matured for 12 months and bottled unfined and unfiltered with perfect natural balance.