Small-batch Chardonnay from Marlborough negociants Novum. Stonefruit, cream and mineral on the nose. Flintiness meets fruit on the palate, making for a distinctive medium-bodied wine. An appealingly long finish shows this to be a top tier Chardonnay. Novum use small parcels of fruit from specially selected sites on established Marlborough vineyards to craft the best wines and expressions of terroir possible. Their first vintage arrived in 2016. Novums primary focus is on Syrah, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

DOMAINE MOREAU-NAUDET Pargues Vieille Vignes, Chablis

S. A. HUET Le Haut-Lieu Moelleux Premiere Trie, Vouvray

Clos Saouma Arioso Blanc, Châteauneuf-du-Pape This is sourced entirely from the Lieu-dit of Pierredon and 100% Grenache Blanc. Its vinified the same way as the Magis see above however the élevage is just one single 500 litre demi-mud for 36 months on full lees, no racking/sulphur for the full period.

A more restrained style, Yeringberg Chardonnay has some minerally notes overlayed with subtle hints of fermentation in French oak barrels. Not an overt wine, yet possessed of impressive intensity. It should develop a soft and smooth maturity after several years in the cellar.

The aspiration of Oakridge LVS -- or Local Vineyard Series -- wines is to be outstanding expressions of single vineyards within the Yarra Valley. Local Vineyard Series wines enable wine lovers to compare and contrast the power of terroir and geography in winemaking. In essence, different grape varieties thrive in different soils, and Yarra Valley terroirs and altitudes vary widely. Oakridges expertise and understanding of the region allows viticulturists and winemakers to match a particular variety with a particular site -- with marvellous results. Almost all LVS wines are cellarworthy. The Willowlake Vineyard is just outside Gladysdale in Victorias Upper Yarra Valley. Planted in 1979 at an elevation 300 metres, the cool-grown Chardonnay here ranks with the regions very best. Add the skills of leading Chardonnay exponent David Bicknell and these hand-picked grapes become wines that express their variety and origin with consummate precision and flair.

Franco DAnna is an absolue perfectionist from vineyard to bottle. This is a fantastic example of rich, powerful Chardonnay.In the glass: Pale lemon.On the nose: Ruby grapefruit, apple, peach and cashew. On the palate: Powerful and layered with a solid core of white and yellow fruit, nutty complexity, creamy texture, a subtle salty hint, racy acidity and lovely savoury oak support.

This Chardonnay has plenty of robust varietal aromas of stone-fruits and melon on the nose, which is well supported with spicy oak. The palate has a soft creamy mouthfeel while maintaining a tight structure that includes well defined fruit flavours of melon, pears and a touch of citrus acidity bound by well integrated French oak.

PENFOLDS Reserve Bin 18A Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills Win a VIP Experience at Penfolds Kalimna* Earn an entry into the competition for every $300 you spend on Penfolds, and for every bottle of Grange you purchase. Includes flights, accommodation, tastings, a helicopter flight to the Barossa Valley and more! *T&Cs apply. View full terms and conditions Reserve Bin A has evolved into a distinctive, modern, single-region (Adelaide Hills) Chardonnay, second only to Yattarna in the Penfolds white wine hierarchy. Each year the wine is made it is labelled according to the last two digits of the vintage -- hence Reserve Bin 10A, 12A, 13A and so on. Fruit is hand-picked to small bins and whole-bunch pressed. A portion of the juice is incrementally filled to barrel directly from the press and allowed to undergo a natural fermentation. Thus ...every new (40%) and seasoned (one or two-year-old) French oak barrique is its own, unique 225-litre ferment. Enhanced mouthfeel and complexity is achieved by maturation (typically for eight months) on solids, with intermittent yeast lees stirring. The 100% malolactic fermentation is also natural. Reserve Bin A has established a strong following since it was first made in 1994. It is a fresh, minerally style that occupies a place in the vanguard of modern Australian Chardonnay. With its distinctive, flinty aromatics, creamy texture and razor-sharp acidity, it perfectly articulates the fruit complexity and mouth-watering attributes of cool-climate Adelaide Hills fruit from Chardonnay vineyards across the region.