Australian Chardonnay: 20 wines to snap up
This grape’s inherent ability to find fame in a range of contrasting styles – from focused and minerally to rich and oaky – is rarely more evident than Down Under. Tina Gellie looks at the reasons behind the country’s success and picks out some great buys
There’s a reason Chardonnay has endured (despite the Anything But Chardonnay blip) as wine lovers’ favourite white. It’s all things to all people: available in 99% of retailers and restaurants, at pocket-friendly to suitably show-off prices, with examples from almost every wine-producing country.
Arguably its most valuable quality, however, is flexibility of style. Whether you like a richly oaked, opulently tropical, buttery wine, or a more lean, citrus-driven, minerally one, there’s a Chardonnay for you. And nowhere, outside its heartland of Burgundy, crafts these two contrasting Chardonnay styles to such an equally high standard as does Australia.
This is in part due to the sheer scale of the country, and therefore the myriad climates, elevations, terroirs and vintage differences that make each Chardonnay-producing region like a different European nation. From the Tamar Valley in Tasmania to Hunter Valley in New South Wales is the same distance as from London to Naples in Italy – 1,600km. And the 3,500km from Margaret River in Western Australia to Beechworth in eastern Victoria is like driving from London to Tbilisi in Georgia.
Chardonnay’s style-for-all malleability is also thanks to the ease with which its taste can be manipulated. Picking dates and fruit ripeness, wild yeasts, malolactic fermentation and lees stirring, not to mention the use of oak: all of these have an impact on body, structure, texture, aroma and flavour.
Ripe, oaky, creamy, high-octane Chardonnay is what made Australia’s name in the 1980s and 1990s, but soon the ‘ABC’ movement took hold and winemakers had to rethink their game. This lead to an almost 180° shift and, taking a leaf from Burgundy, producers started working more with cooler sites, as well as picking earlier and experimenting with reductive winemaking techniques that give a distinct flinty, ‘struck match’ character.
Sommeliers, critics and judges might have loved these for their character and ageability, but many wine lovers still yearned for that weighty, rich, buttery style. The pendulum is swinging back towards the middle ground, though there are still exponents of each style to be found – including some famous names.
Best of the best
‘Australian Chardonnay represents some of the best in the world if measured by value and impact,’ says Andrew Caillard MW, co-founder of Langton’s wine auctions and the creator of the Langton’s Classification of Australian Wine. ‘They are diverse yet complementary styles, the best showing extraordinary technical skill and empathy for the land.’
Caillard’s three-tier classification, created in 1990, is a fluid ranking of Australia’s best- performing wines, based on reputation, demand, quality and track record at auction.
Of the 136 wines on the 2018 list, just nine are Chardonnay: two, Leeuwin Estate’s Art Series and Giaconda’s Estate Chardonnay, in the top Exceptional tier; and two, Penfolds’ Bin 144 Yattarna and Pierro, ranked Outstanding. In the Excellent tier are Cullen’s Kevin John, Mount Mary, Oakridge’s 864, Tyrrell’s Vat 47 and Vasse Felix’s Heytesbury.
Margaret River boasts four wines in this top nine – and for good reason, says Caillard, who believes it to be ‘one of the world’s greatest regions’ for Chardonnay. ‘Although the very best estates have a different character, they all share a common theme of freshness, al dente textures and mineral length – many with the richness that people really like.’
Caillard also lauds Yarra Valley. ‘From an aesthetic point of view, David Bicknell (Oakridge) is the technical reference. Mount Mary is a proven cellaring style and… has one of the longest track records as a collectible.’
The Adelaide Hills also has ‘a proven record and promises more in the future’, as does Beechworth, home of Giaconda. ‘This is definitely a region to watch,’ Caillard says.
My selection is not a definitive top 20 list, more a guide to some of the most highly regarded, as well as up-and-coming wines, spanning a variety of regions and price points.
These are a selection of high-scorers from more than 80 Chardonnays tasted (non-blind) at the annual Australia Trade Tasting held in London in January
Top Australian Chardonnay wines to try
Tapanappa, Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay, Piccadilly Valley, South Australia, Australia, 2017
Brian Croser reckons this cool vintage is the best Tiers Chardonnay since 2008 – praise indeed, given that the 2016 (the hottest vintage on record in the Adelaide Hills) won a Best in Show at the 2018 DWWA. The textured, lean, sappy palate shows fine-grained oak (eight months in barrique, 33% new) and complex layers of quince, apple and nectarine with brisk yuzu citrus acidity. Puligny-esque, with great ageing potential, this is a wine every Chardonnay lover should try.
2017
TapanappaPiccadilly Valley
Giaconda, Estate Chardonnay, Beechworth, Victoria, Australia, 2017
With good reason, Giaconda is the name most associated with Beechworth (Brokenwood’s superb Indigo Chardonnay also comes from here, as do the exciting Savaterre, Sentio and Sorrenberg). This vintage of Giaconda’s Chardonnay, the second under screwcap, opens with flint and lemon zest aromas leading to an opulent palate of stone fruit, granola and baking spices, with tart apple acidity. Unashamedly big and bold, but with fine precision.
2017
GiacondaBeechworth
Pierro, Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia, 2018
There are so many top-drawer Margaret River Chardonnays, they could have filled half this list on their own: Cullen’s Kevin John, Leeuwin’s Art Series, Voyager, Moss Wood, Thompson Estate, McHenry Hohnen... But I’ve picked Pierro, a personal favourite. It’s a powerful, weighty wine that can carry its mighty oak (24 months, 65% new), with fresh acidity to offset the opulent tropical fruit and buttery popcorn notes on the seductive palate.
2018
PierroMargaret River
Shaw & Smith, M3 Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2018
The high-altitude, cool-climate Lenswood sub-region is the source of many of the Adelaide Hills’ best Chardonnays – notably Geoff Weaver, Henschke and Shaw & Smith, with its top-of-the-range Lenswood single-vineyard Chardonnay (£50) as well as this M3. Flinty and linear with precision and restraint, it has piercing acidity and ample stone and citrus fruit with a real wild-yeast tang. Fermented and aged nine months in barrel with lees stirring.
2018
Shaw & SmithAdelaide Hills
Giant Steps, Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia, 2018
The 30ha estate-owned Sexton Vineyard, planted by Giant Steps founder Phil Sexton in 1997, is the pinnacle of the single-vineyard Chardonnays produced each year, and has a real cult following among winelovers. It is whole-bunch pressed and, using wild yeasts, fermented and aged for 10 months in 500-litre puncheons, 20% new. There was some batonnage, but no malo, ensuring a great balance of steeliness and creamy, waxy palate weight. Complex and layered orange blossom honey on toast, hazelnuts, lemon curd, melon and florals, with beautiful mineral clarity. Tangy, citrus zest acidity enlivens the palate. I last tasted this 15 months ago, and the extra time in bottle has really made it sing. 1,700 cases made.
2018
Giant StepsYarra Valley
Tyrrell’s, Vat 47 Chardonnay, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia, 2010
The Hunter Valley is rightly famous for its Shiraz and Semillon, but a few producers excel at Chardonnay too. Keith Tulloch is one – seek out the Field of Mars single vineyard – as is Tyrrell’s. Vat 47 is the pinnacle of the famed estate’s five Chardonnays, first made in 1971 and sourced from vines up to 112 years old. It’s held back before release – 2015 will be the next vintage in the UK – so this has elegantly developing notes of windfall apples and a whiff of exotic fruit on a soft, round palate with focused acidity.
2010
Tyrrell’sHunter Valley
Deep Woods Estate, Hillside Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia, 2015
The 2017 Reserve (£36) is a multi-awarded wine that was one of the 98-point standouts of Decanter’s Western Australian Chardonnay tasting (February 2019 issue), and this junior version gives you a taste of that excellence for half the price. Complex and plush, it boasts good concentration of creamy white peach, wet stones, gentle smoky oak and blood-orange freshness. Top stuff!
2015
Deep Woods EstateMargaret River
Oakridge, Over the Shoulder Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia, 2017
With more than 25 vintages to his name, David Bicknell is a true Chardonnay master whose Coldstream estate is one of the region’s jewels. The 864 Drive Block, Funder & Diamond Vineyard cuvée is an incredible wine that punches well above its price (£50) – as does this entry-level wine. Just 10% is oaked, letting the purity of the ripe citrus and orchard fruit shine. Lovely stoniness, grippy mouthfeel and brisk, mouth-watering acidity.
2017
OakridgeYarra Valley
Ocean Eight, Verve Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia, 2016
South of Melbourne along the east coast of Port Phillip Bay, Mornington Peninsula has not basked in the Chardonnay (or Pinot Noir) limelight in the same way as the Yarra Valley, but there are a few producers leading the way, such as Stonier, Paringa, Polperro, Crittenden and Kooyong, as well as this estate. Super-bright, mouth-puckering acidity wakes up your palate, along with flavours of grapefruit, mineral and hints of blossom.
2016
Ocean EightMornington Peninsula
Lowboi, Chardonnay, Porongurup, Western Australia, Australia, 2018
A real discovery at January’s annual Australia Trade Tasting in London. From the Porongurup sub-region of Great Southern (as is the equally good Marchand & Burch Chardonnay), this is wild-yeast fermented in barrel and aged for 12 months in 10% new oak, revealing aromas and flavours of ripe yellow peach and crushed herbs on a soft, caressing palate backed by bright acidity. Understated and delicious.
2018
LowboiPorongurup
Petaluma, Yellow Label Chardonnay, Piccadilly Valley, South Australia, Australia, 2016
The Adelaide Hills has a wealth of excellent Chardonnay producers (seek out The Lane, Wirra Wirra, RockBare, Tomich, Lobethal Road), but this is one of its more enduring names from the high-altitude, cool-climate Piccadilly Valley – home to Grosset’s Chardonnay vineyard and Tapanappa’s Tiers. This is beautifully fresh and lively, with piercing acidity allied to an elegant palate of crisp green apple, meadow flowers and aromatic herbs.
2016
PetalumaPiccadilly Valley
Lethbridge, Chardonnay, Geelong, Victoria, Australia, 2018
Geelong, southwest of Melbourne and on the other side of Port Phillip Bay to Mornington Peninsula, has a better reputation for its Pinot Noir, but the Chardonnays from top producers such as By Farr, Bannockburn and Lethbridge are equally outstanding. This achieves an elegant middle ground of being both lean, flinty, vibrant and focused yet generous and weighty in creamy custard-apple fruit and integrated spiced smoky oak.
2018
LethbridgeGeelong
Ten Minutes By Tractor, Estate Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia, 2017
This wine is a blend of the single-vineyard Chardonnays (about £45 each) which are the trump cards at this estate, and a step up in seriousness from the deliciously approachable 10X cuvée (£26). It spends 11 months in oak, 15% new, giving great length and texture to the nutty, tropical fruit palate and crisp, preserved-lemon acidity. Lean and classy.
2017
Ten Minutes By TractorMornington Peninsula
De Bortoli, Section A5 Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia, 2018
De Bortoli’s top Chardonnay is from Dixon’s Creek Winery Estate, on a single-vineyard plot planted in 1976 that’s one of the top parcels in the region. It’s linear yet weighty, with generous green fig, citrus and more exotic fruit flavours. Yering Station is another fine Yarra Chardonnay in the same price range.
2018
De BortoliYarra Valley
Larry Cherubino, Ad Hoc Hen & Chicken Chardonnay, Pemberton, Western Australia, Australia, 2018
Flying the flag for Pemberton, a wine region between Margaret River and Great Southern, is Larry Cherubino, whose Chardonnays in particular offer excellent value. This shows pretty green melon, vanilla sugar and peach purée characters, a creamy yeast tang and lime juice freshness on the finish.
2018
Larry CherubinoPemberton
Penfolds, Bin 311 Chardonnay, Australia, 2018
The ‘white Grange’ Yattarna (£130) and Reserve Bin A from the Adelaide Hills (£65) are the pinnacle of Penfolds Chardonnays, but this cross-regional blend from Tasmania, South Australia’s Adelaide Hills and Tumbarumba in New South Wales offers a hint of those lofty heights in a more affordable package. It’s expressive and detailed, with a savoury kick of wild yeast, flinty notes, baking apples and sweet spice, and a crisp bite of acidity.
2018
Penfolds
Vasse Felix, Filius Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia, 2018
Vasse Felix was the first vineyard and winery founded in Margaret River, in 1967. Heytesbury Chardonnay is its icon white (£60), Premier the mid-tier (£30), and its ‘son’ (Filius) is modestly priced, yet delivers a taste of that famous house style: buttery oak, apple crumble, sweet peach, vibrant acidity. Hay Shed Hill and Xanadu’s Estate Chardonnay are other quality buys at a similar price.
2018
Vasse FelixMargaret River
Bellwether, Chardonnay, Tamar Valley, Tasmania, Australia, 2015
Tasmania’s Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sparkling wines have already made their mark and the still wines are quietly building a reputation. Ministry of Clouds, Dalrymple Sinapius and the Chardonnays from Eileen Hardy and Tolpuddle are well worth seeking out – as is this, full of windfall apples, cashews and autumnal leafy notes. The 2017 latest release should be on UK shores soon.
2015
BellwetherTamar Valley
Domaine Tournon, Landsborough Vineyard Chardonnay, Pyrenees, Victoria, Australia, 2016
The Pyrenees is a small, dry, hilly region in western Victoria best known for its reds, particularly Shiraz, but several producers make elegant Chardonnay too – namely Dalwhinnie and this estate, owned by the Rhône’s Michel Chapoutier. It’s a single-vineyard wine that shows roasted pineapple alongside toasty oak spice (20% new barrels for 12 months) and creamy nougat notes, with cleansing lime acidity.
2016
Domaine TournonPyrenees
Punt Road, Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia, 2018
While it’s no Mount Mary or Oakridge 864 – the cream of Yarra Valley Chardonnay – this round, approachable wine offers fine value for the quality. Made by winemaker Tim Shand from the Napoleone family vineyard, it ticks all the boxes with a generous palate of apple crumble and custard, toasty oak spice and a streak of lemony acidity.
2018
Punt RoadYarra Valley
