Kevin Cullen was a passionate believer in the quality of Margaret River as a wine region and particularly of its potential to become one of the great areas for both Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Here's his proof! [Biodynamic]

The wines of Fraser Gallop Estate are intensely flavoured, textured and complex. Only the finest quality French oak barrels are used for all Fraser Gallop Estate wines, with very specific Bordelais coopers used for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends, and Burgundian coopers for the Chardonnay. The complete winemaking process takes place at the estate - picking to vinification to barrel maturation to bottling to cellaring. Fraser Gallop Estate is an estate grown, produced and bottled wine. Flavours of lemon curd and grapefruit with searing length. A wine with clarity and finesse. A tightly focussed and very precise wine showing seamless fruit purity with the lightly toasted French oak very much in the background. Crystalline acidity and a mouth-watering finish complete this Chardonnay.

Delicate and gentle notes of cooler climate fruits fill the nose; wet stones, chalk, fine citrus zest and orange blossom. The palate is lissom and has a mineral water like weight as citrus fruits mingle with toasted nut-meal and caramel. A fine and soft acidity retains levity and gives length and crispness to finish this Chardonnay by Marchand and Burch.

Palate - Light and delicate with a tight, fine line of acidity, leading to a long focused palate with a creamy texture. Rich autolysis characters of brioche and nougat lead the way with hints of citrus, almond, fennel and hay. This refreshing wine has a long, dry, crisp finish. Winemaking The Chardonnay fruit is gently pressed off skins with a series of press fractions going to separate holding tanks for later assessment. The juice is settled bright and fermented cold with a neutral yeast strain in stainless steel. No malolactic fermentation takes place, so as to obtain a finer, tighter acid structure. The wine was then bottled on the 23rd of May 2019 with a dose of active yeast and sugar (known as ‘tirage’) to encourage the secondary ferment. The bottle ferment lasts approximately six weeks after which the tirage sparkling wine rests in storage for four years gaining complexity from contact with the yeast lees. When deemed to be balanced and with sufficient autolysis character, we send the bottles for riddling and disgorging where the yeast plug is removed and the cork inserted. This wine was disgorged on the 7th of July 2020. Storage/Bottling - The unique nature of this sparkling wine is that bottling occurs as part of the winemaking process early in the wine’s life. In the case of the Georgette, the final disgorging and packaging process occurs four years after the wine is first put to bottle. Heavy grade sparkling glass, stylish labeling and the traditional white hood of the Forester brand complete the elegant package.

The 2008 marks the 25th anniversary of Dalwhinnie Chardonnay in the Pyrenees in western Victoria, and the wine is still not missing a beat. With less oak used now than in previous vintages, the wine exhibits magnificent citrus and mineral flavours and aromas with a delicate honey flavour notes and texture. A truly elegant wine.

The citrus rind and grapefuit lead the palate to an overall fine yet textural journey. Cape Mentelle Chardonnay had this distinctive minerally line too, apparent with focussed refreshing acidity. Faint nuancesof soft nougat and cashews also add to what is a harmonious balance and an elegant and length finish.

The Moss Wood Amy's offers undeniable Moss Wood quality at an easily affordable price. Beautifully soft yet full-bodied it shows pristine varietal character impeccable balance and is simply a pleasure to drink - whether it be upon its release when it shows optimum primary fruit and robust texture or after a few years in the cellar when the classic secondary characters begin to wonderfully take control.

Margaret River is an under appreciated region for Australian Shiraz, and it's hard to see why with Cape Mentelle's Shiraz showing a vibrant core of blueberry, mulberry and hints of raspberry. It is well balanced with cocoa and savoury oak. The palate yet, is fine, elegant and focussed, finishing with chalky and structural tannins.

Dog Point from Marlborough in New Zealand have quickly established themselves as quality Marlborough producers with their range of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. This Chardonnay has lovely texture due to lees stirring and balanced oak influence. Hints of citrus still remain to produce a Chardonnay of versatility.

Simonnet-Febvre has a dedication to quality Chardonnay that is unsurpassed in the Chablis region. Old vines are entrenched in limestone soil that produce some of the most evocative examples available. Clean, zesty citrus lines of flavour all surrounded by the unmistakable line of acid so prevalent in this classically styled wines. Superb!