As a young winemaker travelling the globe, the 'Old World' Chardonnay that Ben Riggs fell in love with in the 1980's were described as 'like drinking cold chalk soup', and have inspired him to make this beloved Adelaide Hills Chadonnay. Over the years Ben has been searching for the perfect cold site to make a dry Chardonnay renowned for the purity of its aroma and taste.

Pale straw with pear green at the edge. Bouquet An exquisite nose combines subtle flint with citrus blossom, verbena and white peony. Uncompromising varietal purity is joined by secondary complexities as baked almond pastry and subtle spice reveal time in oak with elegance and subtlety. Palate Terrific natural acidity is cut with lemon curd, natural yoghurt and crème fraiche. The gentle layering of secondary elements (hazelnut, biscuit and almond meal) builds shape and body. Pristine fruit and impeccable oak yield linearity and focus to a palate with stunning length and persistent, fine texture.

Bright straw colour with a watery hue. Lifted ripe peach and honeycomb aromas mix with crème brulee and spice notes. Rich and full the palate is blessed with ripe peach, honeycomb and crème brulee flavours. Some nougat and spice elements lie underneath. A creamy textural feel is counterpointed by measured acidity. Finishes long, ripe and round. Drink over the next 1-2 years. Alc. 12.9%

Penfolds Maxs Chardonnay is a tribute to former Chief Winemaker Max Schubert, a legend in Penfolds history. Pale straw in colour with green hues, this wine has a very nice textural and creamy palate with a soft line of acid fading ever so slowly to a distant palate horizon.

Medium straw in colour this wine by Sidewood displays lifted white peach, fig, pear and pistachio nuts on the nose. This barrel fermented Adelaide Hills Chardonnay offers superbly structured characters. It is tight and lean, laced with citrus lime and tropical fruit characters. Some lovely subtle complexities from careful oak maturation on lees include nutmeg, sage spice and pistachio flavours which linger on the after taste. A lovely crisp wine now, that will benefit from some short term cellaring once bottled. Serve with Asian style broth, mushroom based dishes or Lobster bisque is a great match to this Chardonnays complexity in flavour, but finesse in structure.