Top 5 Chardonnays from Wine Australia trip

One of the most promising discoveries during my recent two-week trip to Australia was a common thread of elegance, freshness and finesse running through the wines regardless of their grape variety or region.

Some of the wines I was most charmed by were the Chardonnays. Until relatively recently the grape’s reputation was in the doldrums, and conjured visions of a despondent Bridget Jones glugging it from a giant glass.

But the much-maligned variety has made a magnificent comeback, and while Burgundy remains its spiritual home, Australia is emerging as a country to watch for elegant, affordable, terroir-driven Chardonnays.

Encouragingly, the best wines aren’t confined to one region – I enjoyed sublime examples from the Adelaide Hills, Geelong, Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley – Margaret River is missing from the line up as it wasn’t on our itinerary.

Click through for my top five picks from the trip. If you’ve enjoyed any of them then let us know, or flag up any Aussie Chardonnays you feel should be on our radar.

Shaw + Smith Lenswood Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2015

Bought by Shaw & Smith in 2012, the undulating 20-hectare Lenswood vineyard stands at 500m above sea level and boasts 17-year-old Chardonnay vines planted on brown loam over clay. Shy at first, the linear and precise wine walks a tightrope, offering both power and elegance in a finely spun fusion of flavours.

Bound by a taught, mineral core, notes of lemon, lime and white peach come to the fore, alongside richer notes of nougat and vanilla, with a creamy mouthfeel from the lees contact. An incredibly poised and focused wine with lively acidity, great balance and tonnes of charm. Price: £50.

Coldstream Hills Deer Farm Vineyard, Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2015

Founded by revered wine scribe James Halliday, Coldstream Hills is one of the jewels in Yarra Valley’s crown. With access to some of the top vineyard sites in the cool climate region, Halliday has been making single vineyard wines since the ‘80s. This Chardonnay is made from 22-year-old vines on south facing clay slopes.

Barrel fermented and aged on its lees for nine months in French oak, the time in barrel gives generosity to the wine, which is redolent with aromas of citrus peel lemon curd and wet stones, flavours that are echoed on the palate alongside lemon meringue, nougat and grapefruit in a rich but balanced ensemble. Price: £18.

Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2010

Made using a mixture of clones planted on sandy clay loam soils in the Tuerong sub-region of the Mornington Peninsula, winemaker Tom Carson is pursuing purity and terroir expression in his Chardonnays, which are fermented in French oak and aged on the lees for 11 months.

Poised, precise, pristine and pure, the 2010 vintage sings with notes of citrus blossom, pear and grapefruit pith alongside gunflint and struck match. Offering creamy complexity from the oak and an unctuous mouthfeel, the wine has incredible finesse, depth and length, and an attractive mineral backbone. Price: £27.

Bannockburn S.R.H, Geelong Chardonnay 2011

Hailing from the up-and-coming Geelong region in Victoria, this Chardonnay was made by Michael Glover with incredible care and attention to detail. Named in honour of Bannockburn’s founder, Sir Reginald Hopper, the wine is made from the 12 oldest Chardonnay rows on the estate.

Undergoing full malo and spending three years on its lees, it boasts the elegance and poise of top white Burgundies. Redolent with oyster shell and sea air aromas alongside citrus, lime and a hint of gun smoke, the wine has wonderful, mouth-filling palate weight and texture, offering the perfect balance of power and elegance – a seriously smart wine with impressive length. Price: £45.

Penfolds Reserve Bin 15A, Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2015

Best known for its reds, Penfolds has been quietly building its reputation for smart whites made with fruit from the Adelaide Hills, Victoria, Tumbarumba and Tasmania, including its Reseve Bin 15A, which only uses Adelaide Hills fruit and regularly goes home with trophies at Australia’s top wine competitions – the 2015 vintage won James Halliday’s Chardonnay Challenge this year.

The epitome of modern Australian Chardonnay, it’s a finely spun, linear wine offering beautiful purity of fruit and could hold its own among the best Burgundies. Both powerful and delicate, it boasts a complex mix of white peach, lemon rind and nutty, leesy, lanolin aromas from partial new oak fermentation. Creamy and rich, with mouth-puckering acidity and distinct notes of freshly squeezed lime and grapefruit, this opulent wine is a delight to drink. Price: £65.