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Chardonnay
Chardonnay produces what is arguably the greatest of dry white wines, forming the basis of Chablis, Burgundy and Champagne. Beyond the simple primary fruit flavours of peach and tropical fruit, skilfully-made barrel-fermented Chardonnays include butterscotch, honeysuckle, fig, cashew, cinnamon, citrus and biscuit notes. Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Meursault and Corton-Charlemagne are some of the most famous names from Burgundy. From Australia, producers such as Giaconda, Bannockburn & Leeuwin Estate offer world class, age-worthy examples. Browse our top rated Chardonnay wines here.
![2019 Domaine William Fevre Les Lys Chablis Premier Cru]()
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2019 Domaine William Fevre Les Lys Chablis Premier CruChablis, FRANCE$105. 00Bottle$1260.00 DozenABV: 13%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
An airier and more elegant if more restrained nose freely offers up its aromas of mineral reduction, acacia, citrus and iodine. The tightly wound and notably intense flavors exude evident minerality on the super-sleek, bone-dry and chiseled finish. I would underscore that this is unusually powerful in terms of what is typical for Les Lys with sneaky good length. One to consider. Drink 2026+.
92 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundCropped at a mere 17 hectoliters per hectare, the 2019 Chablis 1er Cru Les Lys has turned out brilliantly, unwinding in the glass with notes of crisp stone fruit, pear and green apple, complemented by subtle hints of oyster shell and mandarin. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and precise, with tangy acids and a pungently chalky finish, it will reward bottle age. Drink 2025 - 2045.
93+ points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Aug 2021)The Fèvre holding comes from the top of the vineyard by the wood, and has delivered only a small crop unfortunately. Pure clear primrose, very stylish sensual wine, still, some gas, which is helpful and will be maintained. Very succulent, more character than usual, with a crisp fresh backbone and exceptional length.
91-94 points
Jasper Morris - Inside Burgundy![2020 Domaine Xavier Monnot Meursault Les Chevalieres]()
2020 Domaine Xavier Monnot Meursault Les ChevalieresBurgundy, FRANCE$195. 00Bottle$2340.00 DozenABV: 13%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
From vines with an average age of 45 years. Lovely mid lemon yellow. Riper in bouquet but very charming. This Meursault Chevalières has a fine fresh mineral thread, and really excellent persistence. If the mid palate fills out a little more this could challenge for a fifth star.
92 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy![2021 Dromana Estate Tuerong Park Chardonnay]()
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2021 Dromana Estate Tuerong Park ChardonnayMornington Peninsula, Victoria, AUSTRALIAReduced from $23.99$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2023-2027)ABV: 12.6%Closure: StelvinThe 2021 vintage was blessed with near perfect conditions after a troublesome 2020 vintage. Fruit was fermented in a combination of barrel (75%) and stainless steel (25%) using selected yeasts. Approximately 75% of the final blend was allowed to go through malolactic fermentation and the wine spent 8 months on gross lees.
Brilliant pale straw colour with a watery hue. Nosing offers up aromas of white peach laced with hints of honeycomb and crème brulee followed by some nougat and spice notes. Rich fleshy white peach flavours combine with crème brulee and honeycomb over a nougat, roasted almond and spice back drop. Creamy textured in its feel it finishes with a nicely balanced freshness on the long moreish aftertaste.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 12.6%![2022 Emilian Single Parcel Chardonnay]()
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- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2022 Emilian Single Parcel ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$39. 99Bottle$479.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2024-2027)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinBright straw colour with a watery hue. Aromas of ripe peach, nectarine and dried honey intermingle with roasted almond, biscuity nougat and spice notes. Medium weighted the palate features nectarine and pear fruits over bees wax, oily toast like characters and spice. Waxy like mouthfeel with fresh acidity and a mid length conclusion.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 13%Other Reviews…..
From a vineyard in Gruyere. Barrel fermented and matured in hogsheads and barriques (30% new) with 100% mlf. Bright green gold. Aromas of stone fruits, orange blossom, honeysuckle and a little candied ginger pervade this quiet and complex wine. Equally restrained on the gently textured and even palate, there's a nice touch of grip on the finish, too. 125 dozen made. Drink by 2027.
94 Points
Philip Rich – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion![907273_1.jpg]()
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2019 Errazuriz ChardonnayAconcagua Costa, CHILE$32. 99Bottle$395.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2020-2023)ABV: 13%Closure: CorkSourced from Errazuriz Aconcagua Costa vineyard, the juice was fermented in used French oak barrels for between 15 to 20 days, and then underwent 45% malolactic fermentation. The wine was then aged for 11 months in used French oak barrels.
Brilliant pale straw colour with a faint greenish tinge around the edges and a watery hue. Intense aromatics of white peach and tropical fruits jump out of the glass followed by some melon, subtle dried honey and spice notes. Rich, fleshy and vibrant the palate is engulfed with white peach and melon fruits which sit over a back drop of dried honey, faint cashew and spice. Finishes with a burst of citrus freshness on the medium to long mineral laced aftertaste.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 13.0%Other Reviews.....
A round, flavorful white with citrus and dried fruit, such as peaches and apples. It’s medium-bodied with dried fruit, creamy texture and linear, vibrant acidity at the very dry finish. Drink or hold.
93 points
JamesSuckling.com![2022 Evans & Tate Wild Cape Chardonnay]()
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- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2022 Evans & Tate Wild Cape ChardonnayMargaret River, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 2 Years (2024-2026)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinWild fermented and matured in French oak barriques for a period of 11 months. Brilliant very pale straw colour with a subtle tinge of green around the edges and a watery hue. Aromas of ripe peach, melon and citrus are followed by delicate grapefruit end notes. Nicely rounded in the mouth with peach, nectarine and melon fruits to the fore. Finishes dry with a dash of gun flint. Crisp acidity with a slippery textured conclusion.
Drink over the next 1-2 years.
Alc. 13%![2019 Evans & Tate Redbrook Estate Chardonnay]()
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2019 Evans & Tate Redbrook Estate ChardonnayMargaret River, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$32. 99Bottle$395.88 DozenMinimum 6 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2024-2029)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinBrilliant pale straw colour with gleaming green tinged edges and a watery hue. Elevated nectarine, lemon butter and oily toast aromas are trailed by hints of bees wax and spice. Vibrant nectarine and citrus fruits impart an energetic feel onto the palate with some lemon butter, subtle bees wax, toast and gun flint characters lying underneath. Good concentration with fresh acidity lending focus to the long elegant finish.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 13%Other Reviews…..
Wild ferment, mlf blocked, matured for 10 months in barrel and a further 6 months in tank on lees. A reliably brilliant wine, this year is no exception. Classy fruit collides with toasty oak, all of it punctuated by bright acidity and fine texture. Super-smart+.
95 Points
Erin Larkin – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion![2021 Famille Paquet Macon-Davaye Les Pres Cousins]()
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- Biodynamic
2021 Famille Paquet Macon-Davaye Les Pres CousinsBurgundy, FRANCE$59. 99Bottle$719.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2024-2030)ABV: 12.5%Closure: Diam CorkLocated in the heart of Burgundy, Famille Paquet is a 30 hectare property at the foot of the rocks of Solutré and Vergisson. The Paquets take great care of their vineyards, using organic and biodynamic compost and manage each of their 50 plots individually. The property is currently in conversion to organic viticulture.
Brilliant pale straw colour with a watery hue. Pronounced peach, pear and honeysuckle aromas mix with hints of crème brulee, citrusy nougat and wet stone notes. The fresh mid weighted palate features white peach and pear fruits over a delicate dried honey, citrusy nougat and wet stone back drop. Energised acidity with a long, elegant and vivid finish.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 12.5%![2022 Famille Paquet Macon-Villages Nos Cinq Terroirs]()
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2022 Famille Paquet Macon-Villages Nos Cinq TerroirsBurgundy, FRANCE$44. 99Bottle$539.88 DozenABV: 13%Closure: StelvinNos Cinq Terroirs (Our Five Terroirs), is a tribute to the merging of vineyards across the Mâcon-Villages, Saint-Véran, and Pouilly-Fuissé appellations started by Jocelyne and Michel Paquet in 1980. Nowadays their children, Camille, Mathieu and Jean-Baptiste, continue the tradition. Camille oversees viticulture and winemaking, while Mathieu and Jean-Baptiste handle selling the wine.
The Paquet family carefully tends to each of their 50 plots, using only local organic and biodynamic compost to keep the soil healthy. The newer generation aims to honor their family's past while exploring a more hands-off winemaking style. In 2021, they achieved their first certified organic vintage.
![2022 Fat Bastard Chardonnay]()
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2022 Fat Bastard ChardonnayCalifornia, UNITED STATES$14. 99Bottle$179.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 2 Years (2024-2026)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinThe Fat Bastard brings welcome relief to those looking for a bigger, fuller style of Chardonnay amidst the current market trend of lighter, fresher and more elegant styles. Filling a gap in the market and delivering incredible value for money has made this our best selling Chardonnay over the last 8 years.
Bright pale straw to straw colour with a glimmer of green around the edges and a watery hue. Elevated ripe peach, honeycomb and crème brulee aromas are trailed by hints of butterscotch, bacon fat and spice. Rich, full and creamy textured the palate is layered with luscious peach, crème brulee and butterscotch flavours with toasty oak and spicy cinnamon nuances lying underneath. Nicely balanced acidity with a long mouth filling finish. A much improved Fat Bastard after the disappointing 2021.
Drink over the next 1-2 years.
Alc. 13.5%![2022 Felton Road Block 6 Chardonnay]()
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2022 Felton Road Block 6 ChardonnayCentral Otago, NEW ZEALAND$79. 99Bottle$959.88 DozenABV: 14%Closure: StelvinCommencing with meticulous site selection and vineyard design in 1991, Felton Road's story is one of refusal to compromise. A strict 100% estate policy with fully organic and biodynamic viticulture ensures that the fruit arrives at the winery as pure as can be, while the entire estate comes as close to true sustainability as is possible. A commitment to hands-off winemaking: gravity flow; indigenous yeasts and malolactic; an avoidance of fining and filtration; all help preserve the wine's expression of its terroir. The result is Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir which accurately express the authenticity and complexity of the unique vineyards.
Felton Road manages four properties covering 34 hectares in the Bannockburn subregion of Central Otago. Block 6, located on a mild north-facing slope within The Elms vineyard, was planted in 1993.
Other Reviews....
Mandarin orange, yellow cherries and green banana followed by butterscotch and dried tea leaves with an underlying saline minerality. Medium-bodied, bright acidity. Persistent depth and balance. Elegant finish. A firmness and focus in texture. About 60% old vines on their own rootstock. Mendoza (Wente). From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
96 Points
JamesSuckling.comThe 2022 Block 6 Chardonnay is powerful and throaty—all back palate and weighty with ripe yellow stone fruit. This is a spicy, full wine with layers of juicy acidity and fleshy fruit. The mineral detail through the finish balances the pure fruit core. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
93 Points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate![2020 Fetherston Chardonnay]()
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2020 Fetherston ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$37. 99Bottle$455.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2022-2025)ABV: 12.3%Closure: StelvinBrilliant very pale straw colour with gleaming tints of green around the outskirts and a watery hue. Aromas of nectarine and pear mix with biscuity oak, hints of bees wax and citrus. Combining elegance with freshness the light to mid weighted palate has a delicate flavour profile of pear, green apple and citrus over subtle biscuity oak and wet stone characters. Finishes dry with brisk acidity and a flinty aftertaste.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 12.3%Other Reviews….
A single-vineyard Upper Yarra chardonnay fermented in 2yo French oak puncheons. A really bright green gold. Opening with some reduction and matchstick, there are some lovely just-ripened nectarine and green-apple aromas too. Tightly wound and with good energy, this just needs another 6 months or so to really hit its straps. Drink by 2026.
93 Points
Philip Rich – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion![2022 Fighting Gully Road Chardonnay]()
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2022 Fighting Gully Road ChardonnayBeechworth, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$49. 99Bottle$599.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 8 Years (2023-2031)ABV: 14%Closure: StelvinProduced predominantly from Smith’s vineyard which was planted back in 1978, the vines are tended by leading viticulturalist Mark Walpole who was responsible for introducing a number of emerging Italian varietals to Brown Brothers North East Victorian vineyards during the 1990’s. Together with winemaker Adrian Rodda, one of Beechworth’s emerging stars, they make formidable team, their 2022 Chardonnay quite possibly their best yet.
Moreishly rich, powerful and beautifully shaped this is a rising star of Beechworth.
Brilliant very pale straw core with distinctive green toned edges and a watery hue. Engulfing the nostrils are intense white peach, ripe nectarine, dried honey, cashew, biscuity nougat, subtle grapefruit and struck match stick notes. Rich and concentrated yet simultaneously wonderfully refined and fresh, the palate is draped with layers of white peach, nectarine and subtle grapefruit flavours. Notions of dried honey, roasted cashew, biscuity nougat characters and infusions of gun flint lend further sophistication to the back half. Texturally full and creamy it carries beautiful shape right through the long power packed finish. An exceptional Beechworth Chardonnay.
Drink over the next 6-8 years.
Alc. 14%![2023 Fire Gully Chardonnay]()
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2023 Fire Gully ChardonnayMargaret River, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$34. 99Bottle$419.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2024-2028)ABV: 14%Closure: StelvinFruit was sourced from 20-30 year old vines with barrel fermentation taking place in second and third fill barrels followed by 10 months maturation with fortnightly lees stirring.
Brilliant very pale straw colour with distinct tints of green around the edges and a watery hue. Lifted white peach and tropical fruit aromas are trailed by hints of dried honey and citrusy nougat notes. Fleshy white peach and tropical fruit flavours carry plenty of intensity and texture across the palate with ripe melon, dried honey and citrusy nougat elements playing out on the back half. Finishes fresh, long and generously fruited.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 14%![2022 Forest Hill Vineyard Chardonnay]()
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2022 Forest Hill Vineyard ChardonnayMount Barker, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$27. 99Bottle$335.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2024-2030)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinFrom vines planted in 1985. Pale straw colour with highlights of green around the edges and a watery hue. Nectarine and white peach scents show good lift out of the glass with some pear, delicate biscuity oak, nougat and gun flint notes ensuing. Mouth filling nectarine, pear and citrus fruits are layered across the palate with excellent intensity. Notions of biscuity oak, nougat and flinty characters line the back half. Nicely rounded it finishes long and refined with good freshness.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13%![2021 Fowles Farm to Table Chardonnay]()
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2021 Fowles Farm to Table ChardonnayVictoria, AUSTRALIA$17. 99Bottle$215.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 2 Years (2024-2026)ABV: 12.7%Closure: StelvinBrilliant pale straw colour with a faint tinge of green around the edges and a watery hue. Lifted ripe peach and melon aromas mix with toasty vanillin oak and spice. Rich fleshy ripe peach, tropical fruit and melon flavours mix with dried honey and spicy vanillin oak characters. Round and full in the mouth with good underlying acidity it finishes with plenty of fruit.
Drink over the next 1-2 years.
Alc. 12.7%![2022 Fraser Gallop Estate Parterre Chardonnay]()
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2022 Fraser Gallop Estate Parterre ChardonnayMargaret River, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$49. 99Bottle$599.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2023-2029)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinWild yeast fermented and matured in barrel for 8 months. A brilliant almost water like core is surrounded by distinctive green toned edges. Aromas of white peach, nectarine and gun flint drift through the nostrils trailed by faint dried honey, biscuity oak and subtle citrusy nougat notes. Mid weighted the palate is both fresh and refined in its feel featuring white peach and citrus fruits over nectarine, infusions of gun flint, delicate biscuit and citrusy nougat elements. Understated in its power it finishes long and elegant.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 13%![2022 Gant & Co Chardonnay]()
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2022 Gant & Co ChardonnayMargaret River, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$39. 99Bottle$479.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2023-2028)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinBrilliant pale straw colour with greenish tinged edges and a watery hue. Expressive white peach and nectarine aromas escape from the glass with hints of dried honey, biscuity oak and citrusy nougat notes also evident. Light in weight yet gently creamy in its texture, the palate features fleshy white peach flavours over subtle biscuity oak, citrusy nougat and spice characters. Finishes dry and fresh with an elegant mid length aftertaste.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 12.5%![2020 Georges Duboeuf Pouilly-Fuisse Premier Cru]()
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2020 Georges Duboeuf Pouilly-Fuisse Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$69. 99Bottle$839.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2023-2028)ABV: 13%Closure: Diam CorkBright pale straw to straw colour with highlights of green around the edges and a watery hue. The nose features attractive white peach, pear and dried honey scents trailed by hints of cashew and spice. Fleshy textured and vibrant, generous white peach, nectarine and dried honey flavours fan out across the mid weighted palate with some subtle biscuity nougat and gun flint elements lying underneath. Excellent concentration and depth with a well endowed yet undeniably fresh finish that has an underlying minerality to it.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 13%![2022 Giant Steps Tarraford Vineyard Chardonnay]()
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2022 Giant Steps Tarraford Vineyard ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$74. 99Bottle$899.88 DozenABV: 13%Closure: StelvinOther Reviews....
The warmest site among Giant Steps' four single-vineyard chardonnays, though planted on a cool, south-facing slope in Tarrawarra. Whole-bunch pressed and barrel fermented in French puncheons (25% new) with 10% mlf. An engaging and lovely wine. Opens with subtle scents of pink grapefruit, orange blossom and coriander seeds. Builds nicely on the gently textured, saline and structured palate before finishing zesty and long. The sort of wine that begs you to take another sip. Drink 2022-2027.
97 Points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Australian Wine CompanionSofter and more forward than other chardonnay in the suite. A warmer sub-zone, albeit, eastern facing vines. Aromas of baked apples, quince, lemon drops and orange pastilles. The oak is classy and impeccably integrated, directing a bumptious, mid-weighted palate. A subtly creamy finish. I'd be drinking this while waiting for the rest. Drink or hold.
93 Points
Ned Goodwin MW - JamesSuckling.comTight, fresh and saline with a citrus-driven nose and an attractively pithy palate alongside intriguing orange spritz and old-fashioned lemonade flavours. Cut with lively acidity, it has good intensity and drive. Leased for 20 years, the Chardonnay (predominantly clone P58) was planted in 1988 on cooler south- and east-facing slopes on grey clay loam. Harvested 25 February, 28 February and 6 March with the east-facing slopes the last-picked. Drink 2023 - 2028.
94 Points
Sarah Ahmed - DecanterWhen we taste the Giant Steps chardonnays we usually start at the warmer of the single vineyard sites and work our way up, or to cooler sites. Two we have here. Tarraford is a leased vineyard though it’s a key member of the Giant Steps SV range.
This is a tight release, though highly textural, but what really shows through here is the fruit intensity of the year. There’s a concentration to this wine, a sense of bounty. It tastes of brine, apples, citrus and cedar, with attractive bacon and salt-like highlights, plus quartz, plus some greenery. I wrote the word ‘incredible’, which says it all. Drink 2024 - 2030+
96 Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front![2022 Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay]()
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2022 Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$74. 99Bottle$899.88 DozenABV: 13%Closure: StelvinOther Reviews....
Made from a 50/50% blend of Gingin and Bernard (or Dijon, as it's often referred to) clones planted on north-facing soil in Gruyere. Whole bunches pressed to French puncheons, 20% new oak. A bright green gold. The most immediate of the four single-vineyard chardonnays from Giant Steps in 2022. Perfectly ripened white peach and apricot aromas with scents of German spiced biscuits and a little flint. Textured with good intensity, this silky wine flows effortlessly across the palate. Drink 2022 - 2027.
96 Points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Australian Wine CompanionThis is an exceptional, mid-weighted chardonnay. A mesh of unresolved CO2 and juicy acidity provide trajectory. Vanilla pod oak provides direction. Taut and seamless. Lemon curd and roasted quince, nestled amidst creamed cashew, nougatine and truffle at the core. The finish is endless, joining a matrix of textural rivets and seams, underlain by the flavorful Gingin clone. With wines such as these it is little wonder that Australia boasts the finest expressions of chardonnay with Burgundy. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.
96 Points
Ned Goodwin MW - JamesSuckling.comMuscular and taut – a slow burn – with icing sugar and dried pear-edged granny smith apple and grapefruit. Subliminal phenolic tension highlights the predominant Gingin and Mendoza clones, sourced from Leeuwin Estate in Margaret River, prone to large and small berries in the same bunch. Founder Phil Sexton planted this low-yielding vineyard in 1997 on shallow clay loam over granite and ironstone, at 130m to 201m on the north-facing slopes of the Warramate Ranges. Harvested 25 February to 2 March. Drink 2023 - 2030.
95 Points
Sarah Ahmed - DecanterSteel and spice, some dry pear, citrus, apples, preserved lemons and pink ginger. Wonderfully intense but at ease with it; what this wine does is take its intensity and run with it. This is a wine. Upfront and backwards at once. Go. Drink 2024 - 2030+
95+ Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front
Fifty percent Mendoza, some Gingin and a bunch of Bernard clones (76, 277 and 96) populate this 30-hectare vineyard. Within it are a variety of aspects and elevations; the block that provides the source for this wine is Block 11 (Bernard clones), and the on the north-facing side of the vineyard is the Mendoza/96 component. There are deeper soils and bigger canopies over this way, and this provides the generosity and texture for this cuvée. The 2022 Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay offers notes of toasted almond meal, stone fruit, brine and citrus peel, with a deeper undercurrent of sandalwood and exotic spice. There are also notes of cut fennel, some ginger and loads of salted nuts. This is a lovely wine. It is big and powerful. This has plenty of phenolics to shape the wine through the finish and linger after the wine has gone. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2023-2042.
96+ points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate![2022 Giant Steps Wombat Creek Vineyard Chardonnay]()
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2022 Giant Steps Wombat Creek Vineyard ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$74. 99Bottle$899.88 DozenABV: 13%Closure: StelvinOther Reviews....
From the marginal Wombat Creek vineyard planted at around 400m elevation in the early 1980s. Whole-bunch pressed to French puncheons (25% new), one-third mlf. Aromas of yellow grapefruit, gently poached apples, white peach and a little yuzu. With its mouth-watering acidity, this the most tightly wound of the four Giant Steps chardonnays in 2022. Finishes chalky and long, but it needs another six to 12 months to fill out a little. Drink 2022 - 2027.
94 Points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Australian Wine CompanionDiscreet and a little more subdued than its siblings. The highest vineyard in the Yarra. Despite being gently mid-weighted with lower alcohol, this feels softer and looser at the seams, while still typically intense. Bitter almond, lemon zest, nectarine and pistachio accents roll across a skein of tangerine freshness and cinnamon oak. Oatmeal lees at the core. The finish is exceptionally long and effusive of energy. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.
94 Points
Ned Goodwin MW - JamesSuckling.comVines here are now 40 years old, which is pretty remarkable in Yarra Valley terms. It’s the highest, coolest and most southerly of the single vineyard chardonnay sites.
Custard powder, florals, wild on the nose but then cool on the palate. They make four barrels of this; two of the four are allowed to go through malo. You wouldn’t know. There’s a creaminess here but there’s cut, there’s savouriness, there are green herb and grapefruit notes and there’s smoke. This could be anything in a few years. Anything, I tell you. But it needs some time to add flesh. Drink 2026 - 2030+
94+ Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front![2022 Giant Steps Chardonnay]()
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2022 Giant Steps ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$39. 99Bottle$479.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2023-2028)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinFermented and matured in 500 litre French oak puncheons (15%) new with around 10% going through malolactic fermentation. Brilliant pale straw colour with a subtle glimmer of green around the edges and a watery hue. Sailing out of the glass are aromas of white peach, nectarine and dried honey followed by some cashew, biscuity nougat and spice notes. Refined and mid weighted yet showing good intensity the palate is layered with fleshy white peach and nectarine fruits. Dried honey, biscuity nougat and traces of gun flint linger underneath. Long, gently creamed finish.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 12.5%
Other Reviews.....
An even split of upper and lower Yarra fruit. Whole-bunched pressed and wild fermented in 15% new French puncheons. Around 5% mlf. A light, bright green gold. Pure fruited with an attractive nose of just ripened orchard and stone fruits, pink grapefruit and orange blossom. A hint of matchstick and just-baked ginger snaps. Concentrated and lithe at the same time, Giant Step's calling card is just as good, if not better than the super 2021 release. Drink by 2027.
95 points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion![2021 Giant Steps Clay Ferment Ocarina Chardonnay]()
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2021 Giant Steps Clay Ferment Ocarina ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$64. 99Bottle$779.88 DozenABV: 13%Closure: StelvinOther Reviews....
From 4 Giant Steps vineyards, fermented in matured in 675L clay eggs produced in Byron Bay. Whole-bunch pressed, wild ferment and kept in clay for 6 months. No filtration and bottled by gravity. A very bright green gold. Aromas of almond meal, freshly grated ginger and white flowers. A little match stick, too. An intriguing palate, which is dry, grippy, even and long. A bit closed, this would be a great food wine and it will be fascinating to see how this evolves and changes over the next few years. Drink by 2028.
93 Points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion (February 2022)The 2021 Clay Ferment Chardonnay is a wine that's made in small quantities—and perhaps difficult to get outside of Australia—however, it's an interesting proposition and one that goes some way toward revealing the importance of "subregional" DNA. There is one clay egg of each of the single vineyards, where the wine was vinified separately and then blended together prior to bottling. The eggs behave like oak barrels in terms of their micro-porosity and fermentation kinetics, however they leave no flavor artifact, making it a perfect vessel to understand the individual vineyard sites. This is slightly cloudy in the glass, with low sulfur at bottling, and via the unfined nature, it retains all the good phenolic texture and grip that can make Chardonnay so excellent. This has really good persistence of flavor in the mouth: power from Sexton, green olive and caper brine from Tarraford, savory white miso/from Applejack and pork crackling from Wombat Creek. This all alongside the white orchard fruit, of course. This is a fascinating wine that will titillate the purists to no end.
An interesting side note: The clay eggs are handmade in coastal New South Wales. They're very delicate, so much so that the team brings them to temperature with filtered water prior to filling, so that when they're "loaded up" they don't go into thermal shock and crack. They really are handled like eggs. Drink 2022 - 2029.
94 Points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (June 2022)![2021 Giant Steps Tarraford Vineyard Chardonnay]()
- 95
- 95
- 96
2021 Giant Steps Tarraford Vineyard ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$64. 99Bottle$779.88 DozenABV: 13%Closure: StelvinOther Reviews....
The warmest site of the 4 Giant Steps single-vineyard chardonnays, but planted on a south-facing slope in Tarrawarra. As with all of them, this was whole-bunch pressed and barrel fermented 15% new French puncheons). A fuller, bright, green gold. Quite restrained with aromas of stone fruits, oatmeal and a little wet rock. I like both the intensity and restraint on the palate and this may, paradoxically, need the longest of the 4 single-vineyard 2021 chardonnays to open up. Drink by 2028.
95 Points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion (February 2022)The 2021 Tarraford Vineyard Chardonnay comes from the Tarraford Vineyard—it is the most northerly vineyard in the collection and is planted to the P58 clone, planted in the 1980s. The fruit was originally intended as sparkling base and was being sold to Chandon. The fruit now goes solely toward table wine Chardonnay, and in this case, we are able to see for potential in the glass than merely sparkling base. This is a south-facing vineyard in a warmer area in the Yarra, which brings an attractive combination of streamlined linearity and a fine, mineral, nutty, briney character. In the mouth, the wine cascades across the palate, leaving a trail of white flowers, pink grapefruit and the faintest sense of caper brine through the finish. Very cool. Drink 2022 - 2035.
95+ Points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (June 2022)I met with Steve Flamsteed and new Giant Steps winemaker Mel Chester last week to taste through the 2021 Single Vineyard releases and wow, what a range of wines. Everything was excellent but this Tarraford was really up and about on the day. I’ll post my chardonnay reviews in order of altitude or ‘meters above sea level’. Tarraford is the lowest of them, and each from there is about 50 metres higher.
Sweet oak into white stonefruit, citrus and apple, grapefruit. Powerful from the outset. Hand picked, whole bunch pressed, full solids for all of the single vineyard releases. A bit of mlf for all of them too. This is in impeccable – not to mention incredible – shape. Controlled. Powerful. Tarraford should be the most rich, for site and aspect, but it’s so taut, almost salty in its savouriness. Cracking wine. The ‘loudest’ of the single vineyards in that it brings the flavour but simultaneously so very, very good. Drink 2023 - 2030+
96 Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front (June 2022)Ripe pear juice on the nose. Much richer than the Applejack and Wombat Creek 2021 bottlings, although there is some citrus acidity on the finish. A little bit of a putty/linseed aroma too. Quite a bit of chewiness on the end. Just a little hard on the finish at this point. Drink 2023 – 2027.
16+ / 20 Points
JancisRobinson.com![2021 Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay]()
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2021 Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$64. 99Bottle$779.88 DozenABV: 13%Closure: StelvinOther Reviews....
Made mainly from WA's Gingin clone and planted in Gruyere on the same grey clay as Applejack. Whole bunches pressed into French puncheons with 20% new oak. Smells tightly wound and concentrated with aromas of ripe peach and nectarine, together with just a hint of lanolin and apple custard. Equally powerful and punchy on the palate. This has more of everything, including sprightly acid and some phenolic grip on the very long, stone-fruit pithy finish. Today, this is my pick of the 4 single-vineyard 2021 chardonnays, but who knows what will come out on top in 5 or even 10 years from now! Drink by 2028.
97 Points
Philip Rich - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion (February 2022)This is made with fruit from the Sexton Vineyard, at 200 meters in altitude (80 meters higher than Tarraford). Within the vineyard, the clones are dominated by Gingin (brought over to Victoria by Phil Sexton), followed by Dijon clones, planted in the 1990s. The 2021 Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay is composed of 60% Gingin. Twenty percent of the parcels went through malolactic fermentation—clone 277 and some of the 96. This is salty as anything—a very good thing in my book—and the sheer intensity of flavor in the mouth is mouthwatering. Preserved lemon and grapefruit pith lace the edges of the mid-palate. Very smart—it has the Yarra precision of acid and streamlined phenolics, but it brings concentration of flavor and thrilling phenolics. Super smart wine. Drink 2022 - 2032.
96 Points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (June 2022)This seemed ultra-reserved in the context of the Tarraford, which I’d tasted immediately prior.
Citrus here and red apple, with pear, the citrus both pure juice and preserved. Oak spice, and custard powder characters, are so well threaded, ginger nut/biscuit aspects rising through the finish. World apart from the Tarraford; perfect pigeon pair. The longer it sat in the glass the more those complex, juicy, apple-like characters blossomed, marzipan with them, nectarines squeezed with salted lemons. This is a wine of tight, complex power, the fruit pure and commanding, the finish taut but persistent. Drink 2024 - 2030+
95 Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front (June 2022)Complete nose with both minerals and citrus notes plus a hint of apple blossom. Still quite youthful but very promising. Markedly persistent with marked acidity but no shortage of fruit. Not austere but very far from fat. Neat and quite delicate. Fans out on the finish. They must be very pleased with this wine, from a hugely successful vintage. Drink 2022 – 2028.
17 / 20 Points
JancisRobinson.com (May 2022)![2021 Giant Steps Wombat Creek Vineyard Chardonnay]()
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2021 Giant Steps Wombat Creek Vineyard ChardonnayYarra Valley, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$69. 99Bottle$839.88 DozenABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinOther Reviews....
Not only is Wombat Creek the vineyard with the highest elevation in the collection (100 meters up the hill from Applejack, circa 400 meters elevation), it is also the most southerly. Planted to the I10V1 clone, this is an interesting (understatement) pigeon pair to the Applejack, in that it boasts the same clone and the same winemaking yet is a higher, cooler site on red dirt instead of gray clay. Fruit for the 2021 Wombat Creek Vineyard Chardonnay was picked a full 10 days after Applejack, "and it was just a matter of waiting until the fruit was ready," says Steve Flamsteed (a.k.a. Flamo). "We had no rain events or botrytis stress at all." Approximately half of the wine went through malolactic fermentation. "By the time we got around to picking it, some of the malic acid had respired," Flamo explains. And it goes a long way toward softening the wine, lending it a nutty, savory character. Pork crackling comes to mind, and in combination with the white orchard fruit and taut saline acidity, it gives the wine an extra dimension of complexity and interest. I think this wine needs some time to unfurl and evolve—I'd love to see it again in a year's time... Drink 2022 - 2035
94+ Points
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (June 2022)Vines here are nearly 40 years old. It’s the highest, coolest and most southerly of the single vineyard chardonnay sites.
Great push of musk, fennel and red apple flavour before toasted peach and vanilla characters power through. Incredibly intricate wine, perfumed, powerful, long, textural/grippy, gently creamy, and then when you think it’s finished, a peppery/herbal spray to the aftertaste. You can see the oak on this but it absolutely carries it; of all the 2021 releases it’s the one most in need of extra time for the sake of pure oak integration. But we have another super wine on our hands here. Drink 2024 - 2030+
95 Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front (June 2022)Green and luscious nose with more breadth than the Applejack Chardonnay 2021. Definitely softer than the Applejack, even though the vineyard is higher – a soil effect? Floral notes. It would be easy to drink this without food. Quite long. Absolutely ready with an undertow of sweet lime. Really very fine and appealing. Great balance. Drink 2022 – 2027.
17 / 20 Points
JancisRobinson.com (May 2022)![2022 Gilberts Estate Hand Picked Chardonnay]()
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2022 Gilberts Estate Hand Picked ChardonnayMount Barker, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$29. 99Bottle$359.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2023-2027)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinFrom vines planted in 1985. Brilliant pale straw colour with highlights of green around the edges and a watery hue. Nosing offers up aromas of nectarine, tropical fruits and citrus with hints of dried honey and spicy oak also evident. Fleshy textured ripe peach, melon and nectarine fruits overlay a back drop of dried honey, toasty oak and spice. Nicely rounded in the mouth it finishes with a lick of fresh acidity on the lengthy fruit driven aftertaste.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 12.5%![2022 Guthrie Hand Crafted Clones Chardonnay]()
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- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
- Reduced
2022 Guthrie Hand Crafted Clones ChardonnayAdelaide Hills, South Australia, AUSTRALIAReduced from $29.99$27. 99Bottle$335.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2024-2028)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinMatured in 33% new French oak puncheons for 8 months on lees. Brilliant pale straw colour with highlights of green around the edges and a watery hue. Attractive aromatics of white peach, dried honey and cashew greet the nostrils followed by some biscuity nougat, faint crème brulee and spice notes. Rich yet very refined in its feel, nectarine and citrus fruits meld into a cashew, nougat, dried honey and spice back drop. Finishes with a gentle cream tinged aftertaste.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 12.5%![2023 Hay Shed Hill Chardonnay]()
- 92
2023 Hay Shed Hill ChardonnayMargaret River, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA$29. 99Bottle$359.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 5 Years (2024-2029)ABV: 12%Closure: StelvinFermented and matured in French oak barriques for a period of 11 months. Brilliant pale straw colour with a subtle greenish tint around the edges and a watery hue. Nectarine and subtle grapefruit aromas are followed by citrus, subtle biscuity oak and gun flint notes. Featured across the refined palate are nectarine, pear and grapefruit flavours with subtle biscuity nougat and infusions of gun flint lying underneath. Possessing brisk acidity it finishes fresh and elegant.
Drink over the next 4-5 years.
Alc. 12%![2021 Heggies Vineyard Single Block Reserve Chardonnay]()
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2021 Heggies Vineyard Single Block Reserve ChardonnayEden Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$44. 99Bottle$539.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2023-2029)ABV: 12%Closure: StelvinFermented and matured for 11 months in a combination of 55% French oak barriques (34% of which were new) and 45% ceramic wine eggs. Brilliant water like core with distinct highlights of green skirting the edges. Elevated nectarine, pear and grapefruit scents are complimented by citrus and gun flint notes. Light to mid weight, refreshing pear, lime and green apple fruits sit over a delicate stony mineral and gun flint infused back drop. Fine boned it finishes dry with crisp like acidity and an energetically elegant aftertaste.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 12%Other Reviews…..
Pale straw with the merest flash of green in the glass. Notes of juicy white peach and nectarine with a splash of grapefruit lift. Hints of cinnamon, nougat, white flowers, stone, struck flint, apple pastries and nicely judged French oak. Detailed and long with excellent clarity, sapid, lipsmacking acidity and pure, lightly oak-spiced stone and citrus fruits on the long, crystalline finish. Drink by 2026.
93 Points
Dave Brookes – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion-
- 95
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2017 Heggies Vineyard Reserve ChardonnayEden Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$44. 99Bottle$539.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2021-2025)ABV: 12%Closure: StelvinMatured for 16 months in French oak barriques on lees. Brilliant very pale straw colour with greenish tinged edges and a watery hue. Elevated nectarine and dried honey aromas are intermeshed with biscuity oak, nougat and subtle spicy cashew notes. Mid weighted white peach and nectarine fruits show good flesh with notions of dried honey, spicy nougat, biscuity oak and delicate cashew unwinding on the fresh finish. The gentle creamed tinged aftertaste sees the emergence of subtle roasted almond characters.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 12%
Other Reviews….
It's pleasing to have some shape here. It's still tight, but there's fruit flavour. Splashes of lemon, mandarin peel and a dash of ginger spice. It's delicately floral, too. Oak is seamlessly integrated, with enough funky sulphides to warrant a disco move. Drink by 2028.
95 points
Jane Faulkner – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion ![2022 Heirloom Vineyards Assen’s Fortalice Chardonnay]()
- 93
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2022 Heirloom Vineyards Assen’s Fortalice ChardonnayAdelaide Hills, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$46. 99Bottle$563.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 6 Years (2024-2030)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinBrilliant pale straw colour with highlights of green around the outskirts and a watery hue. Elevated white peach, pear and lemon butter aromas are interlaced with hints of bees wax, nougat and spice. Light to medium weight the elegant palate features pear and nectarine fruits over delicate lemon butter, bees wax and stony mineral accents. Finishes dry with a citrusy freshness to the medium length aftertaste.
Drink over the next 5-6 years.
Alc. 12.5%Other Reviews….
A contemporary chardonnay, on the lighter and edgier side, with considerable depth and complexity. Quince paste, truffled nuts, parmesan, vanillin oak and white peach riffs expand across an electric wire of acid. The composition, in harmony. The finish is long, consummate and impressive. Drink by 2023.
93 Points
Ned Goodwin – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion![2023 Heirloom Vineyards Chardonnay]()
- 91
2023 Heirloom Vineyards ChardonnayAdelaide Hills, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$24. 99Bottle$299.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2024-2028)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinBrilliant pale straw colour with greenish tinged edges and a watery hue. Nectarine, citrus and dried honey aromas flow from the glass followed by hints of biscuity nougat. The elegant mid weighted palate features nectarine and pear fruit over subtle biscuity oak and citrusy nougat elements. Fresh medium length conclusion.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 12.5%![2021 Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres Premier Cru]()
- Nick's Import
2021 Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$570. 00Bottle$6840.00 DozenABV: 14%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
There is just enough reduction present to blur the nuances of the fresh and cool aromas of citrus peel and various floral elements. There is good if not special concentration to the wonderfully sleek medium-bodied flavors that exude evident minerality on the balanced, dry and stylish finale that is firm enough to repay up to a decade of keeping. Drink through 2029+.
92 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundPurchased grapes which went through a long slow alcoholic fermentation. Pale lemon colour, the bouquet is reticent. Plenty of stuffing here though, and weighted to the back, as we like. A fresh energetic finish, with good but not trenchant acidity. Drink from 2026-2031.
91-94 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy![2021 Henri Boillot Meursault Clos Richemont Monopole Premier Cru]()
- 91
- Nick's Import
2021 Henri Boillot Meursault Clos Richemont Monopole Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$450. 00Bottle$5400.00 DozenABV: 14%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
A slightly riper though almost as elegant nose combines notes of petrol and citrus with those of acacia, mineral reduction and crushed fennel. There is more volume and richness to the less prominently stony flavors that possess a highly seductive mouthfeel, all wrapped in a superbly long finish. This isn't quite as refined as the Genevrières but it's even more complex. I would observe that while the two wines are qualitative equals, they offer two very different expressions. Drink through 2029+.
93 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundWafting from the glass with aromas of pear, clear honey, buttery pastry, toasted nuts and white flowers, the 2021 Meursault 1er Cru Clos Richemont is medium to full-bodied, satiny and ample, with racy acids and a long, mineral finish. This site has performed well in this cooler vintage.
91-93 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Feb 01, 2023)The terroir is made up of small stones in red soil, quite similar to Caillerets. Clean pretty pale primrose, with a brilliant tensile concentration through the middle, not very Meursault this terroir but extremely persistent and makes Genevrières alongside seem a bit massive. Very impressive in its linear style. Drink from 2026-2032.
93-95 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy![2021 Henri Boillot Bourgogne Chardonnay]()
- Nick's Import
2021 Henri Boillot Bourgogne ChardonnayBurgundy, FRANCE$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 13.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
Fresh and bright aromas consist of petrol, lemon zest and green apple scents. The racy, detailed and attractively textured middleweight flavors possess very good mid-palate volume while delivering better than average depth and persistence on the bone-dry finale. This is lovely for its level and worth a look. Drink through 2025+.
87 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundJust their own vines. Mid yellow, quite robust nose, plenty of fruit if not quite the length of the great years, fresh acidity, zesty and makes one salivate. Still one of the best Bourgogne Blancs around. Drink from 2024-2026.
87-88 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy![2020 Henri Boillot Meursault Les Poruzots Premier Cru]()
- Nick's Import
2020 Henri Boillot Meursault Les Poruzots Premier CruBurgundy, FRANCE$450. 00Bottle$5400.00 DozenABV: 14%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
This is also quite smoky with its aromas of green fruit, lemon-lime and herbal tea. There is notably better size, weight and power to the broad-shouldered flavors that brim with sappy dry extract that buffers the firm acid spine supporting the clean, dry and seriously long finale. This robust effort will need at least 4 to 5 years of patience. Drink through 2028+.
93 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundA fine cleans primrose colour. The fruit is attractively ripe without being heavy, a little yellow plum in the mix, which certainly fleshes out the middle, a touch of quince, some bitter orange rind, then a firmer finish. Quite backward at this stage.
91-93 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy![2020 Henri Boillot Bourgogne Chardonnay]()
- Nick's Import
2020 Henri Boillot Bourgogne ChardonnayBurgundy, FRANCE$99. 99Bottle$1199.88 DozenABV: 14%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
A smoky mix of apple, pear and citrus leads to solidly voluminous and intense middle weight flavors that conclude in an appealingly crisp, clean and very dry finale. This is a very good Bourgogne that should also be capable of repaying a few years of keeping if desired. Drink through 2024+.
87 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundNo new wood for the generic Bourgogne. Pale lemon and lime, slight sandalwood to the nose. Pure and crisp with a lemon and salty finish, excellent density a little barrel toast. Long finish. This Bourgogne Chardonnay shows typical Boillot purity and precision.
87-89 points
Jasper Morris MW - Inside Burgundy![440750044_1.jpg]()
- 91
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2019 Henri Boillot Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Magnum (1500ml)Burgundy, FRANCE$1399. 00Bottle$16788.00 DozenABV: 14.5%Closure: CorkOther Reviews....
Here too the nose is quasi-Chablis like with similar nuances of iodine, mineral reduction and oyster shell along with a variety of citrus influences. The sleek and almost painfully intense broad-shouldered flavors flash plenty of minerality on the dense, muscular and bone-dry finale that leaves zero doubt that this will need extended patience if you're to see it at its peak. This youthfully austere effort has length to burn and it's not every day that you encounter a Corton-Charlemagne that can go head to head with a great Chevalier but this one can. Drink 2036+.
96 points
Allen Meadows - BurghoundProduced from purchased grapes, the 2019 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is serious and structured, enforcing a change of pace after the series of Puligny-Montrachet grands crus. Mingling notes of pear and citrus oil with hints of toasted bread, white flowers and praline, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and chalky, with palpable structuring dry extract and tangy balancing acids. Drink 2025 - 2045.
95 points
William Kelley - Wine Advocate (Jan 2021)The 2019 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, one of Boillot’s strongest wines, has a delightful bouquet with well-defined scents of dried honey, hazelnut and crushed rock, quite Meursault-like in style. The palate is fresh on the entry with crisp acidity, not amazingly complex overall, yet I admire its tension and length, with quite a persistent spicy aftertaste. Very fine. Drink 2023 - 2035.
91-93 points
Neal Martin - Vinous![2022 Highgate Chardonnay]()
- 91
2022 Highgate ChardonnayHunter Valley, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA$19. 99Bottle$239.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 2 Years (2023-2025)ABV: 12.75%Closure: StelvinBrilliant pale straw colour with greenish tinged edges and a watery hue. Ripe peach and apricot scents fill the nostrils with some melon and subtle honeysuckle notes also evident. Fleshy textured peach and apricot fruits are underscored by refreshing acidity. Rounded texturally with some honeysuckle and spice lingering on the finish.
Drink over the next 1-2 years.
Alc. 12.75%![2022 Hill Smith Estate Eden Valley Chardonnay]()
- 94
2022 Hill Smith Estate Eden Valley ChardonnayEden Valley, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$22. 99Bottle$275.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2023-2027)ABV: 13%Closure: StelvinAround 50% of this wine was wild yeast fermented and matured for a period of 11 months, in new and 1-3 year old fine grained French barriques to add weight and texture, with the balance wild fermented in stainless steel to retain fruit freshness and vibrancy. Texture was further enhanced through extended lees contact.
Brilliant very pale straw colour with a distinctive glimmer of green around the outskirts and a watery hue. Nectarine and citrus aromas mix with hints of dried honey, subtle biscuity oak and gun flint. Mouth filling white peach and pear fruits carry a nicely fleshed textural feel across the palate. Notions of dried honey, biscuity oak, traces of nougat and infusions of gun flint lying underneath. Finishes fresh and long with ample intensity and drive.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 13%![2021 Hugh Hamilton The Scally Wag Chardonnay]()
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2021 Hugh Hamilton The Scally Wag ChardonnayMcLaren Vale, South Australia, AUSTRALIA$24. 99Bottle$299.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 2 Years (2023-2025)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinBright pale straw colour with a greenish tint around the edges and a watery hue. Aromas of ripe peaches and dried honey meld into light cashew, citrus and spice notes. Pear and citrus fruits glide across the light to mid weight palate with notions of cashew and spice lying underneath. Finishes dry with fresh acidity and a delicate lingering cashew like element on the aftertaste.
Drink over the next 1-2 years.
Alc. 12.5%![2021 Huia Chardonnay]()
- 91
- Organic
2021 Huia ChardonnayMarlborough, NEW ZEALAND$27. 99Bottle$335.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now (2022)ABV: 13.5%Closure: StelvinCertified organic. Bright straw colour with a watery hue. Ripe pear, apple and honeysuckle aromas are followed by hints of almond and spice. Flavours of pear and spiced apple are ripe and fleshy in texture with subtle almond, honeysuckle and cinnamon characters also present. Finishes dry with brisk acidity and a mid length aftertaste.
Drink now.
Alc. 13.5%![2022 Hunter’s Chardonnay]()
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- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2022 Hunter’s ChardonnayMarlborough, NEW ZEALAND$29. 99Bottle$359.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2024-2027)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinFermented and aged in French oak casks for 10 months. Brilliant very pale straw colour with a distinctive greenish tinge around the outskirts and a watery hue. Aromas of ripe pear and nectarine are followed by hints of dried honey, biscuity oak, citrusy nougat and spice. Mid weighted and carrying a nicely fleshed feel, pear and nectarine fruits are featured over honeysuckle, biscuity nougat and spicy crème brulee characters. Gently creamed medium to long conclusion.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 12.5%![2022 Indigo Umpires Decision Chardonnay]()
- 90
2022 Indigo Umpires Decision ChardonnayVictoria, AUSTRALIA$22. 99Bottle$275.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 3 Years (2023-2026)ABV: 12.4%Closure: StelvinBrilliant very pale straw colour with highlights of green around the outskirts and a watery hue. Aromas of white peach and citrus are intermeshed with hints of dried honey, nougat and gun flint. Vibrant peach and nectarine fruits are underpinned by citrusy acidity with some melon and spice elements lying underneath. Clean, fresh, elegant finish.
Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Alc. 12.4%![2021 Indigo Vineyard Secret Village Chardonnay]()
- 95
- 95
2021 Indigo Vineyard Secret Village ChardonnayBeechworth, Victoria, AUSTRALIA$47. 99Bottle$575.88 DozenCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2023-2027)ABV: 12.5%Closure: StelvinBrilliant very pale straw colour with greenish tinged edges and a watery hue. Aromas of nectarine, subtle dried honey and grapefruit are intermeshed with delicate biscuity nougat and gun flint notes. Mid weighted and possessing a gentle creamy feel, the palate is decorated with white peach and nectarine fruits which overlay a grapefruit tinged back drop of dried honey, biscuity oak and gun flint. Fresh acidity finishing long and highly refined.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 12.5%Other Reviews….
Hand-picked and destemmed fruit, wild-yeast fermented in barrel and matured 10 months in French oak (44% new). A fair dose of Beechworth class to this chardonnay, with signature purity of fruit and great concentration. Presents a restrained, steely backbone embracing grapefruit, lemon, lime zest and white peach, with alluring hints of flint and spice. An emerging complexity is apparent together with a hazelnut-almond savouriness. Altogether, it's got age on its side. Drink by 2031.
95 Points
Jeni Port – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion![2022 J. Moreau & Fils Les Petits Dieux Petit Chablis]()
- 92
- Special Order Product – Delayed Dispatch
2022 J. Moreau & Fils Les Petits Dieux Petit ChablisChablis, FRANCE$59. 99Bottle$719.88 DozenMinimum 12 bottlesCellar: Drink now - 4 Years (2023-2027)ABV: 12.5%Closure: Synthetic CorkBrilliant pale straw colour with a subtle tinge of green to the edges and a watery hue. Green apple and lime aromas mix with wet slate and minerally oyster shell like notes. Nicely rounded in its feel the palate presents pear, lime and green apple flavours over a wet slate and mineral back drop. Finishes dry with brisk acidity and a wet stone laden aftertaste of ample length.
Drink over the next 3-4 years.
Alc. 12.5%
