Chardonnay 2025

New Release

For information regarding previous vintages please contact the winery on info@foresterestate.com.au

Pricing

Clear

Vintage	2025
Grape variety	100% Chardonnay (Mendoza clone, commonly referred to as Gingin in W.A)
Oak maturation	9 months in 22% new and 78% 1-4 year old French Barriques
Alcohol	12.6% Alc/Vol 7.5 Standard Drinks
Release date	February 2026
Colour	Pale straw
Aroma	Elegant and complex with a flinty, minerality and a saline – seashell character. There is creamy nougat with fennel, balanced toasty okay and subtle gunflint.
Palate	Medium bodied with fine acidity and a creamy texture. there’s fennel, citrus, creamy lees and integrated toasty oak. The wine finishes with refreshing natural acidity and subtle toast.
Food matches	Pumpkin ravioli, grilled veal chops, fresh seafood.
Peak drinking	Drink upon release or over the following 5-6 years.

Download Tasting Notes (PDF)

Viticulture

Our Chardonnay vines were meticulously managed to ensure a balanced crop was ripened during the mild vintage of 2025. Picking of our best chardonnay commenced on the 17th of February and was completed on the 1st of March.

Winemaking

The fruit was must chilled on the way to the press. After pressing off skins and separating press fractions, the juice was allowed to settle naturally before racking to achieve a desired level of solids. The juice was then transferred to French oak barriques and puncheons to commence fermentation with a mix of inoculated and wild fermentation. Stirring of the yeast lees continued for seven months before the wine was allowed to clarify and rest on lees

Storage / Bottling

Bottled in December 2025 under screw cap in a premium burgundy bottle. This closure should extend the cellaring life of the wine by reducing subtle oxidative robbing of flavour.

Awards & Achievements

2024 Chardonnay

International Wine Challenge 2025 | 93 points
Decanter World Wine Awards 2025 | 93 points
Sydney Wine Show 2025 | Bronze 85points

2023 Chardonnay

2022 Chardonnay

2021 Chardonnay

2020 Chardonnay

London International Wine Challenge 2021 | Bronze
Wine Enthiusiast | 91 points
Winestate Magazine 2021 90 points

2019 Chardonnay

2018 Chardonnay

2017 Chardonnay

93 Points – James Halliday Wine Companion
Silver Medal – International Wine & Spirits Competition 2018
Silver Medal – Decanter World Wine Awards 2018
Bronze Medal – London International Wine Challenge 2018
Bronze Medal – Royal Sydney Wine Show 2018
Bronze Medal – Wine Show of Western Australia 2018
Bronze Medal – Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2018
Bronze Medal – Perth Royal Wine Awards 2018
Bronze Medal – Royal Hobart Wine Show 2018

2016 Chardonnay

95 Points – James Halliday Wine Companion
Top 100 – Sydney International Wine Competition 2018
Blue Gold – Sydney International Wine Competition 2018
Gold Medal – Sydney Royal Wine Show 2017
94 points – Wine Showcase Magazine 2017
Silver Medal – London International Wine Challenge 2017
Silver Medal – International Wine & Spirits Competition 2017
92 points – Wine Showcase Magazine 2016
90 Points James Halliday Chardonnay Challenge 2017
Bronze Medal – Decanter World Wine Awards, Royal Adelaide Show 2017,
Royal Melbourne Wine Show 2017, WA (Mt Barker) Wine Show 2016, Royal Hobart Wine Show 2017

2015 Chardonnay

Gold – 94 points – Wine Showcase Magazine 2016
Silver Medal – Royal Adelaide Show 2016
Bronze Medal – London International Wine Challenge 2016
Bronze Medal – International Wine & Spirits Competition 2016
Bronze Medal – Royal Perth Wine Show 2016
Bronze Medal – WA (Mt Barker) Wine Show 2016

2014 Chardonnay

91 Points – James Halliday Wine Companion
Silver Medal – International Wine Challenge 2015
Silver Medal – International Wine & Spirits Competition 2015
Silver Medal – Royal Adelaide Show 2015
Bronze Medal – Royal Queensland Wine Show
Bronze Medal – Royal Melbourne Wine Show 2015
Bronze Medal – Australian Small Winemakers Show 2015
Bronze Medal – Rutherglen Wine Show 2015
95 Points- Wine Showcase Magazine 2015

2013 Chardonnay

BLUE GOLD – Sydney International Wine Competition 2015
4 Stars – Winestate Chardonnay Tasting 2015
Silver Medal Outstanding – International Wine & Spirits Competition 2014
18 – 18.5 / 20 – Fine Wine Club 2015
92 Points – Huon Hooke
90 Points – James Halliday Chardonnay Challenge 2014
90 Points – James Halliday Wine Companion
5 Bronze Medals – Royal Melbourne Wine Show 2014, Qantas Wine Show of WA Mount Barker 2014, International Wine Challenge 2014, Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2014

18 – 18.5 / 20 – Fine Wine Club
“With youthful fresh fruit and acidity, this is a wine of real potential. Lemon curd, nectarine and fine grained French oak all feature. Excellent fruit, in a minimalist style, with a textured, almost chewy finish. Great now, but will be even better with a year or two in the bottle.”

92 Points – Huon Hooke
“Bright, light to medium yellow colour. The aroma is shy and subdued, with pleasant aromas, peach and other stone fruit notes, with a light veneer of smoky toasty oak, honey and other artifact characters subtly applied, but the fruit leads the way. The profile is fine and stylish, elegant and reasonably understated, with balance and good length. Very appealing ‘clean’ style of chardonnay.”

2012 Chardonnay

96 Points – James Halliday Wine Companion 2015 (Plus Best of Chardonnay 2015 List)
Silver Medal Outstanding – International Wine & Spirits Competition 2014
94 Points – Wine Showcase Magazine August 2013
93++ Points – Philip White
92 Points – WineGenius.com
90 Points – Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
Bronze Medal – Adelaide Wine Show 2013
Bronze Medal – Margaret River Wine Show 2013
Bronze Medal – International Wine & Spirits Competition 2013
3 Stars – Winestate Best of the West 2014

2011 Chardonnay

Silver Medal Outstanding – International Wine & Spirits Competition 2013
Silver Medal Outstanding – International Wine & Spirits Competition 2012
93 Points – Ray Jordan Wine Guide 2014
90 points – James Halliday Wine Companion
Bronze Medal – Australian Small Winemakers Show 2013
Silver Medal – International Wine Challenge 2012
Bronze Medal – Margaret River Wine Show 2013
Bronze Medal – Royal Hobart Wine Show 2012
Bronze Medal – Cowra Wine Show 2012
Bronze Medal – Perth Royal Wine Show 2012

“Some quality oak underpins what is a largely fruit-driven chardonnay. Beautiful nutty stone fruit aromas with touches of lemon rind. The palate is rich and slightly creamy with some appealing stone fruit influence. This is starting to develop into a mighty impressive chardonnay and further ageing will see it move into a new zone. Elegant and refined with a long finish.” 93 Points – Ray Jordan Wine Guide 2014

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