Chardonnay (also fondly known as the winemaker's grape) is the widest planted white grape variety in Australia (second to shiraz). It's planted in almost every wine-producing region in Australia. Jancis Robinson MW once said chardonnay is perhaps the most famous grape variety as it has no other name and can be recognised around the globe.
Whether your preference is chardonnay with fresh, crisp acidity or toasty richness, there's a style to suit almost every drinker. Below are seven chardonnay wines to try from Margaret River, Geelong, the Yarra Valley, and the Mornington Peninsula.
2022 Aravina Estate Wildwood Ridge Reserve Chardonnay
Pale straw with lime hues. Hallmark citrus blossom and nectarine flesh lift from the glass. Subtle oak, further complexes the aromatic profile. Bright and fleshy citrus flesh, yellow peach and lime dominate the palate. Layered oak complexities further entwine the wines elegance with warmed pistachio and subtle spice.Winemaker Ryan Aggiss says: We’re a northern site for the Margaret River region, but sit atop the Naturalist Ridge, and the blocks are both facing south on a 25 metre gradient. This macroclimate feature provides shelter from the hot north east winds, exposes to cool southerly aspects and enables the fruit to ripen slowly to preserve its yellow nectarine flavours and lime pith acid.
H. How is this chardonnay best enjoyed?
RA. As with all wines, the 2022 is best served with friends and family alongside great food and clean air.
Food pairing suggestion: Marron sandwich.
RRP $55 | Drink to 2031 | Shop this wine
2021 Bellbrae Estate Boobs Chardonnay
The name is not a typo. Whole-bunch pressed with fermentation in tank before transfer to new and one-year-old French barrels. A full and bright green gold. Melon, nectarine and lemon curd scents with a little oak-derived vanillin and grilled cashew. Ripe and textured on the palate, there’s a fine bead of acidity coursing through, giving the wine good overall balance and length.Winemaker David Crawford says: We are always looking for fruit drive, but also with a subtle oak tannin, which then we try to integrate into the fruit component. With the MLF component, we're also adding in further complexity and mouthfeel. As a result, the final wine is built for maturing and is why it's released with one year of bottle age.
H. How is this chardonnay best enjoyed?
DC. With friends...
Food pairing suggestion: I've always liked a bit of spice with aged white wines, and this wine stands up to richer Asian dishes.
RRP $45 | Drink to 2033 | Shop this wine
2022 Cullen Wines Kevin John Chardonnay
Brilliant straw with strong green tinges. Lemon and sea spray mist, lime flowers and lime, dried pear and fig. Crunchy vibrant mineral acidity which keeps the flavours, lingering on and on with a back palate of lemon sherbet kicking in to enliven the experience. Dried pear, orange blossom, balance and poise. What a great symphony of flavours coming together all at once on the taste buds.Winemaker Vanya Cullen says: This wine was harvested in Kevin John’s 100th birth year, and chardonnay was his favourite varietal. Harvested from three separate Wente clone chardonnay blocks, planted in 1976 and 1988, on their own roots, from ultra-low yielding ancient vines.
H. How is this chardonnay best enjoyed?
VC. Kevin John Cullen was a man of incredible energy. He would light up a room and was happiest sharing wine, music and laughter with the people he loved best. This wine is to be shared with friends and family. Sing-alongs around the piano with a glass of wine are fond memories in the Cullen family.
Food pairing suggestion: Crab, prawns or chicken.
RRP $180 | Drink to 2038 | Shop this wine
2022 Medhurst Estate Chardonnay
The appearance is pristine – a brilliant pale straw. Pure yet complex nose with fresh grapefruit, white nectarine and toasted brioche from the classy French oak. The nose is intense and sets you in the driver’s seat for this powerful example of Medhurst chardonnay.Winemaker Rohan Smith says: The Medhurst site in Gruyere is just so wonderful for growing premium chardonnay fruit. The soils, elevation and aspect always produce fruit of great purity, concentration, power and of huge importance, great balance. This wine has a lovely interplay of delicate florals and fruit characters with great drive, and also with lovely textural elements from lees and oak.
H. How is this chardonnay best enjoyed?
RS. Chardonnay is always best when it is not too cold, nor too warm – approximately 14 degrees works well. This allows the aromatics of the wine to really shine at the same time as keeping the palate nice and focused. Ensure that the glassware suits as well – anything that creates a reasonable surface area for the wine and allows the drinker to give it a good swirl to release those delicate aromatics.
Food pairing suggestion: It is chardonnay so can certainly be enjoyed on its own. But when it comes to pairing this wine with food, a delicate mushroom risotto would be perfect!
RRP $50 | Drink to 2032 | Shop this wine
2022 Trofeo Estate Amphora Chardonnay
Stone fruits dominated by white nectarine, with a generous palate and lingering finish.Vineyard Manager and winemaker Richard Darby says: Hand harvested from our estate vineyard and whole bunch pressed, this wine is a perfect representation of the chardonnay this site has to offer. Incorporating all four clones planted and fermented in terracotta Amphora, it’s a great wine to make and watch develop as the year goes on.
H. How is this chardonnay best enjoyed?
RD. I don’t like drinking refrigerator cold chardonnay – it loses all fruit and structure on the palate. So take it out before opening and let it warm up a bit. I like a big glass, comfortable surrounds, and I'm happy to drink this all year round.
Food pairing suggestion: Stay away from anything too heavy – think fish with fresh flavours or chicken with a white wine reduction.
RRP $45 | Drink to 2028 | Shop this wine
2022 Xanadu Chardonnay
Medium-full bodied with white fleshed stone fruits and pears flowing through. A bright natural acidity from the Gingin clone is ever-present, displaying fresh citrus juice and lime and giving a beautiful mouthwatering freshness. The powerful fruit is balanced by a backbone of ripe phenolics which gives the wine generosity, poise and persistence.Chief winemaker Glenn Goodall says: Margaret River and chardonnay go hand in hand. The region has the ability to produce wines with a distinct Margaret River signature, which sit comfortably among the best in the world. Seeing the wines evolve from the vineyard through to the glass is always a rewarding aspect of making chardonnay.
H. How is this chardonnay best enjoyed?
GG. Wine is always better when it is shared with good friends and good food (especially food you have caught and prepared yourself!). Celebrate chardonnay this summer – try some other wines at the same time to give them all some context – then decide for yourself which styles and which regions float your boat.
Food pairing suggestion: We are fortunate to have so much fantastic primary produce here in the southwest. However, it’s hard to go past our freshwater crayfish, marron, which is the ultimate food pairing for this chardonnay. So delicate and delicious, good fun to snare (when in season), and they taste even better when you steal them out of the Deep Woods dam!
RRP $40 | Drink to 2033 | Shop this wine
2022 Yering Station Chardonnay
Enjoy this palate filled with white nectarine, citrus pith and subtle French oak vanilla toast all wrapped up in a tightly wound core of acidity. The lovely al dente structure adds volume and density.Chief Winemaker Brendan Hawker says: Assembled from 12 different parcels, across six different vineyards, each with their own unique expression of their Yarra Valley terroir. We then get to blend their complimentary characters together, always a seeking a balance in generosity and complexity of flavour, freshness and texture. Each year is a different blend, and finding the pieces of the puzzle and the respective proportions is always a fun challenge.
H. How is this chardonnay best enjoyed?
BH. Spring and summer are great seasons for chardonnay drinking. Leave the bottle out of the fridge (or esky) to warm up slightly (between 10–13 degrees is a good zone) and serve in a nice wine glass, with or without food. And enjoy!
Food pairing suggestion: Grilled prawns and Christmas crayfish.
RRP $40 | Drink to 2030 | Shop this wine
