Is this Australia's best Chardonnay? If not then it shares the rarified air reserved for only the finest examples. Rich yet restrained, with mineral notes, cashew and almond meal, amazing fruit complexity and wonderful length...why not try the benchmark?

Margaret River icons, Leeuwin Estate, have produced a wine of true class here. A great finish to the vintage shows up here with aromas of cassis, redcurrant and chocolate. Sweet ripe fruit on the palate is well matched with toasty French oak and fine tannin.

LEEUWIN ESTATE Prelude Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

McHenry Hohnen is the quintessential family owned business with Murry McHenry and David Hohnen being brothers-in-law and the winemaking now being handled by David's son-in-law Ryan Walsh. With decades of Western Australian winemaking and selling history behind David and Murray the wines being produced are of utmost purity and subtlety. The Burnside Chardonnay is a relative recent addition to the range and is a funky, wild little number with attractive stone fruit characters that are balanced by a beautiful natural acidity.

CREDARO 1000 Crowns Chardonnay, Margaret River The Credaro family, originally from northern Italy, settled in Margaret River in 1922. Brothers Cesaro and Olympio worked in agriculture and the timber industry and helped build the regions first bridges, railways and major roads. The family also made wine every year for themselves and their neighbours. Commercial involvement in the wine industry had to wait until the 1980s, when the Credaros began supplying other established Margaret River wineries. In 2019 the family owned and/or managed 110ha of vineyard over five sites across the region and built a 1200-tonne winery near Yallingup in northern Margaret River, in 2003. 1000 crowns (nominally $500) was the Credaro familys original investment and the name is today applied to their flagship wines. The 1000 Crowns Chardonnay typically shows fragrant white peach and citrus aromas with pear and nougat nuances. The palate is rich with flavours of stonefruits, grapefruit and citrus blossom complemented by a creamy texture from lees influence. A fine acid line provides a mineral framework and fruit flavours generally linger through a long, flavoursome finish.

The synergy between region and variety is on full display here with this powerful Margaret River Cabernet from Allegiance Wines, which will continue to soften in the cellar.Mid garnet with a brick hue. Clean and lifted ripe berry fruit with integrated oak giving depth and complexity. Ripe, youthful and plush with integrated charry oak, rich cassis fruit and silken tannins on the well-balanced and persistent finish.

STELLA BELLA WINES Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River