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A classic Beechworth Chardonnay, straw-gold with a green tinge: aromas of hazelnut, yellow peach, and nuances of matchstick mingled with spicy-oak notes of ginger and orange zest; the attack is full of rich, peach and nectarine fruit flavours.

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.

The palate exudes fleshy primary fruits, layered with nutmeal, lemon butter and brioche. A chalky, mineral texture and fresh citrus acidity continues the bounce.

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.

From families which have been wine growers for 7 generations, Andrée and René Thibert created their own domaine in the heart of the village of Fuissé in 1967. Inspired and encouraged by their parents, Sandrine and Christophe have now taken over the management of the domaine which covers 29 hectares. The vineyards are sustainably managed to respect the soils and the vine plants. Intense bouquet, delicate, charming, with notes of citrus and flowers. The wine has all the typical opulence and elegance of a Saint-Véran, with a back taste of fresh citrus and fine minerality.

The Beechworth terroir has a distinctive fruit character of pear/peach fruit. The oak has minimal impact by using older French oak and mainly puncheons. The warm year has meant less citrus lift but has bran meal notes from the wild ferment and extended lees contact. The palate is quite rich with zesty acid line through to the finish. Drinking well now but will improve with further bottle age. Maybe leave the 2012 and 2013 for a couple more years and enjoy this in its place. Enjoy with Seafood to light meats.

Capel Vale is family-owned and one of the pioneers of the West Australian wine industry, first planting vines in 1974. And the duck? A symbol of the native mountain ducks that inhabit the nearby Capel River. In the glass: Pale with green freshness.On the nose: Rich and nutty aromas with stonefruit, citrus and struck match. On the palate: Full and generous with complex development under juicy peach and tangy grapefruit. Lovely line and length due to precise acidity, and well-judged oak.

Crafted in the distinctive Redbank style, it's fruit forward, dry, crisp and teeming with complexity. The nose shows aromas of orange blossom, sherbet and citrus with a subtle note of strawberry. The palate shows clean and fresh natural acidity with notes of white stone fruit and lemon zest. As this wine ages it is developing its complexity with nougat and brioche notes appearing all while still having that classic Redbank backbone of natural acidity.