Viticulture

Our Chardonnay vines were meticulously managed to ensure a balanced crop was ripened during the mild vintage of 2023. Picking of our best chardonnay commenced on the 24th of February and was completed on the 4th 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 November 2023 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

2022 Chardonnay

Decanter World Wine Awards 2023 | Silver
James Suckling Wine Ratings | 91 points
London International Wine Challenge 2023 | Bronze
Royal Queensland Wine Show 2023 | Bronze
Perth Royal Wine Awards 2023 | Bronze
Wine Show of Western Australia 2023 | Bronze
Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2023 | Bronze
Margaret River Wine Show 2023 | Bronze

2021 Chardonnay

Wine Show of WA Mount Barker 2022 | Silver
Australian Small Wine Makers Show 2022 | Silver
London International Wine Challenge 2022 | Bronze
Decanter World Wine Awards 2022 | Bronze
Perth Royal Wine Awards 2022 | Bronze
Royal Hobart Wine Show 2022 | Bronze
Sydney Royal Wine Show 2022 | Bronze

2020 Chardonnay

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

2019 Chardonnay

90 Points – James Halliday Wine Companion
Decanter World Wine Awards 2020 | Silver
Wine Show of Western Australia 2020 | Silver
Winestate Magazine 2020 New Release | 4.5 Stars
London International Wine Challenge 2019 | Bronze
Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2020 | Bronze
Margaret River Wine Show 2020 | Bronze

2018 Chardonnay

95 Points – James Halliday Wine Companion
Winestate Magazine 2019 | 4.5 Stars
Wine Show of Western Australia 2018 | Bronze
Royal Hobart Wine Show 2019 | Bronze
Sydney Royal Wine Show 2019 | Bronze
Decanter World Wine Awards 2019 | Bronze
London International Wine Challenge 2019 | Bronze

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

2010 Chardonnay

Gold Medal – Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2011
92 points – James Halliday Wine Companion
Silver Medal – Australian Small Winemakers Show 2011
Silver Medal – Royal Melbourne Wine Show 2011
Silver Medal – Perth Royal Wine Show 2011
Bronze Medal – Sydney Royal Wine Show 2012
Bronze Medal – Margaret River Wine Show 2011
Bronze Medal – Cowra Wine Show 2011
Bronze Medal – Scoop Magazine Autumn Tasting 2011
Bronze Medal – International Wine Challenge 2011
Bronze Medal – International Wine & Spirits Fair 2011

2009 Chardonnay

95 points – James Halliday Wine Companion
Silver Medal – Cowra Wine Show 2010
Silver Medal – International Wine & Spirits Comp 2010
Bronze Medal – Sydney Royal Wine Show 2011
Bronze Medal – Rutherglen Wine Show 2010
Bronze Medal – Royal Melbourne Wine Show 2010
Bronze Medal – Margaret River Wine Show 2010

2008 Chardonnay

Gold Medal – Sydney Royal Wine Show 2010
94 points – James Halliday Wine Companion
Silver Medal – Australian Small Winemakers Show 2009
Bronze Medal – Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2010
Bronze Medal – Perth Royal Wine Show 2010
Bronze Medal – Perth Royal Wine Show 2008
Bronze Medal – Royal Melbourne Wine Show 2009
Bronze Medal – Qantas Wine Show of WA 2009
4 stars, Top in category, Winestate Magazine 2010
3 1/2 stars, Winestate Magazine Best of the West 2010

2007 Chardonnay

TROPHY “National Champion White Wine” – Australian Small Winemakers Show 2009
Blue Gold Medal – Sydney International Wine Comp 2009
Gold Medal – Sydney Royal Wine Show 2010
Gold Medal – Australian Small Winemakers Show 2009
Gold Medal – Rutherglen Agricultural Wine Show 2008
Gold Medal – Scoop Magazine Spring Issue 2009
5 Stars, Top in class, Winestate Magazine July 2009
94 Points, Vintage Direct, Nicks Wine Merchant Nov 2009
92 Points, Gourmet Traveller WINE 2010
88 Points, Ray Jordan: 2010 WA Wine Guide
Silver Medal – Vintage Cellars National Wine Show 2009
Silver Medal – Qantas Wine Show of WA 2008
Silver Medal – Rutherglen Agricultural Wine Show 2009
89 points – James Halliday Wine Companion
Bronze Medal – Perth Royal Wine Show 2009
Bronze Medal – Perth Royal Wine Show 2008
Bronze Medal – Qantas Wine Show of WA 2009
Bronze Medal – International Wine & Spirits Comp 2009
Bronze Medal – International Wine Challenge London 2009
Bronze Medal – Sydney Royal Wine Show 2009
Bronze Medal – Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2009
Bronze Medal – Cowra Wine Show 2008

2006 Chardonnay

Silver Medal – Ray Jordan’s WA Wine Guide 2009
4 Stars, Winestate Magazine, Best of the West Tasting 2008
92 points, Campbell Mattinson: The Wine Front
5 Bronze Medals

2005 Chardonnay

Gold Medal – Rutherglen Agricultural Wine Show
5 Stars,Top in class: Winestate Magazine 2008,Best of the West Tasting
91 Points – James Halliday Wine Companion
92 points, Campbell Mattinson: The Wine Front
94 points – James Halliday Wine Companion
3 Silver Medals
4 Stars, Winestate Magazine November 2007
9 Bronze Medals

2004 Chardonnay

4 Silver Medals
91 Points – James Halliday Wine Companion
Bronze Medal – Sydney Royal Wine Show 2006
4 Stars, Winestate Magazine

2003 Chardonnay

2 Bronze Medals

2002 Chardonnay

Silver Medal – Margaret River Wine Show 2002
86 points – James Halliday Wine Companion
4 Stars, Winestate Magazine
3 Bronze Medals