With apologies to Riesling lovers, Chardonnay is responsible for Australia’s most outstanding white wines, the best of which hold their own on the world stage. The growers highlighted in this pack have a distinct advantage over many in Australia, in that they govern every aspect of their wine from earth to glass, still a relatively rare phenomenon here. The regions concerned are mostly cool climate, each of which has a cast-iron pedigree in producing world-class Chardonnay. From the high-altitude sites in Orange to a hidden gem vineyard in the Yarra Valley; down to small-batch, single plot Mornington and one of Victoria’s first certified organic sites in Gippsland, across to benchmark Margaret River via the pristine highlands of the Adelaide Hills, this pack ticks all the boxes for lovers of excellent Chardonnay.
Toolangi Chardonnay 2020
In 2017 Helmut Konecsny, the owner of Rochford Wines purchased Toolangi Vineyards and immediately started ringing in the changes. Under this new, hands-on ownership and with talented young winemaker Kaspar Hermann (ex-Mount Mary, Seville Estate and Coldstream Hills) at the helm, Toolangi has the wind in its sails. At the core of the new regime is a desire to bring the soul of the Toolangi vineyard and Hermann’s pure and elegant style to the heart of the Toolangi wines.
Byrne Farm Chardonnay 2021
Byrne Farm is a rising star in the Australian scene, making pristine, high-country Chardonnay from nose-bleed altitude sites in Orange, New South Wales. Jeff Byrne began his winemaking career in the Hunter Valley but was blown away by the undeniable potential of Orange, so he made that region home. The altitude, many aspects and microclimates created by the rippling landscape flowing down Mount Canobolas make it the ideal spot for pure, cool climate Chardonnay.
Murdoch Hill Artisan Series Tilbury Chardonnay 2021
Michael Downer is a gun Adelaide Hills producer on a stratospheric rise. Michael cut his teeth at Shaw & Smith, Vietti in Barolo and Best’s Great Western before returning home to take over the everyday running of the family estate in 2012. He quickly burst onto the scene with his adventurous small-batch Artisan series, working with fruit from exceptional parcels in the Adelaide Hills. This Chardonnay is crafted in a high-tensile style that fuses terrific concentration and natural acidity into a scintillating and seamless package.
Garagiste Terre Maritime Chardonnay 2021
Anyone with a passing interest in cool-climate Australia will already know that Garagiste is one of Victoria’s brightest stars. Cropped from just a few rows in the top corner of the Merricks Grove vineyard, Terre Maritime’s vines are rooted deep in the pure red ferrosol soils of this privileged Mornington Peninsula vineyard. The rows face slightly east, offering the vines a cooler, more sheltered aspect resulting in less vigour, smaller bunches and ultimately a wine of real power and intensity.
Voyager Estate Block 6 Broadvale Chardonnay 2019
All of Voyager’s wines are estate-grown and are made to reflect the unique climate and qualities of Steven’s Valley in Margaret River. The estate is in good company: Leeuwin Estate and Xanadu complete the triumvirate of quality in this small but highly prestigious valley. Voyager Estate is a benchmark Margaret River producer, famed for their stunningly pure and potent Chardonnays. This is one of Voyager’s flagship wines, sourced from a small 1.1-hectare plot which is prized for producing one of Margaret River’s classiest Chardonnay.
Mount Macleod Chardonnay 2021
The Mount MacLeod Chardonnay ranks among the best value Chardonnays we work with, year-on-year. This is Gippsland class in a glass, sourced from an organic vineyard and made by winemaker-ecologist and all-around great guy Mark Matthews. Mount Macleod’s wines are no score junkies, not wines looking to make the headlines, win trophies, or the like. Instead, this producer crafts a set of great value, honest-to-goodness wines, so the Chardonnay is youthful and vibrant and simply outstanding value for money.