McHenry Hohnen Calgardup Brook Vineyard Chardonnay (Organic) 2022 ~ Margaret River, Western Australia

96/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion
95/100 The Wine Front
95/100 Decanter
95/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
93/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review
93/100 Vinous
96/100 Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion (2021 vintage)
96/100 Aaron Brasher, The Real Review (2021 vintage)
96/100 James Suckling (2021 vintage)
94+/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (2021 vintage)
97/100 Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion (2020 vintage)
96/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (2020 vintage)
95/100 The Wine Front (2020 vintage)
94/100 James Suckling (2020 vintage)
93/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2020 vintage)

Bronze - Melbourne Royal Show (2020 vintage)

5 Stars Winery - Halliday Wine Companion
Top Chardonnay Halliday Wine Companion Awards 2023
Halliday's Wine Companion Awards 2023 - Top Wineries of 2022 & 2023

Organic

Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "For whatever reason, this just has the edge compared with its two other chardonnay siblings, which are both excellent. This just seems more high-toned, flinty, racy and linear. Yet it has texture, depth and super length. All the flavours come together seamlessly, the oak a mere seasoning, and moreish acidity ensures this is delicious now and will age well."

Decanter "One of the first Chardonnays I tasted when I moved to Margaret River, and I distinctly remember being wowed by the freshness, salinity and crunchy tension. This has all of that, plus grapefruit pith, lemon curd, mandarin zest, saltbush and a lick of flint. Pure, concentrated fruit offers a lacy acid pop among textural layers that give the wine a delightful pace."

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "...is tight and fine; it curls in tendrils through the long finish and litters the palate with dehydrated lemon peel, clove buds, white pepper, freshly grated nutmeg, brine and saltbush. It is coastal and fresh, mineral and fine. The vineyard is north-facing and planted on coastal limestone loam, established in 1997. I love the precision and delicacy of this wine. While others may overtake it for my preference in the future, within this release, this is one of the top wines for 2022."

Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Light yellow colour with a reserved, restrained bouquet of beeswax, grapefruit pith, malt, honey, restrained nuttiness and a hint of snuffed candle. In the mouth, it's reserved for this region, with good intensity, tightly focused, linear and long. A more European style chardonnay with restraint, structure, savouriness and subtle complexities of a more worked (as opposed to simple fruit) style of chardonnay. Long follow-through with energising acidity. This could reward cellaring."

Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "Precision, definition and length. Chardonnay from McHenry Hohnen has been a bit of rock ’n’ roll of late, and Calgardup Brook just pips the others with a chartbuster. There’s the usual citrus theme going on here, the pink grapefruit and pith, zest and juicy acidity. There’s also the flintiness, the seamless integration of oak, the attention to detail throughout and mostly, the energy and drive. Complex and complete." (2021 vintage)

Aaron Brasher, The Real Review "Bright, fresh and lively in the glass. Complex and lifted aromas of nougat, grilled nuts, grapefruit pith, green melon, white flowers and wet stone. Mouth-filling, textured and really layered on the palate. There’s a drive of just-ripe stone fruit along with citrus pith and tangy, punchy acidity. There’s a nutty oak framework sitting nicely amongst the fruit and a pure, mineral acid cut. Long, sophisticated and a very complete chardonnay." (2021 vintage)

James Suckling "One of a trio of single-site iterations of chardonnay. Sand and limestone. The most dynamic in terms of fruit intensity and formidable length. Glazed quince, truffle, cashew and a hint of brulee. Nothing overwrought. The mid-palate, similarly weighted and densely packed, unraveling along a skein of sea-spray freshness with classy oak directives, nicely embedded. Palate-staining, such is the torque and intensity. Yet as with most Aussie exemplars, sophistication is bundled into a package of poise and effortless drinkability. Exceptional stuff. From biodynamically grown grapes."(2021 vintage)

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "...is sumptuous and juicy on the palate. The wine is more approachable, briny and floral than the Burnside tasted alongside, and it is moving down a nutty path of toasted cashews, hazelnuts and green almonds. Plumper and broader than the Burnside, the length of flavor however remains long and spooling. This is very impressive, but it will be even better in time." (2021 vintage)

Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion "Fruit from the Calgardup Brook vineyard (planted 1997) on coastal limestone loam. All single-vineyard chardonnays are made in the same way here, highlighting the differences in terroir: Hand picked, whole-bunch pressed, full solids, wild ferment in barrel (25% new) and 4 months' maturation, partial mlf, fortnightly bâtonnage. Where the Burnside is granitic, mineral and fine, this is pithy, saline and expansive, with layers of cheesecloth and lanolin amongst the ripe stone fruit. More volume and density of flavour than the Burnside (neither here nor there qualitatively, simply an observation), this is sensational. Utterly." (2020 vintage)

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "The wines are distinct: the whites (Chardonnays in particular) are possessed of an effortless opulence with retained acidity, while the reds are singularly structural (many quite tannic) and lushly fruited. So, this 2020 Calgardup Brook Vineyard Chardonnay before me falls into that vintage stereotype: it is plush and cushioned in the mouth, with depth and breadth in the mid-palate. There’s enough acidity here to tighten up the profile through the finish while savory spice and exotic pan-roasted nuts adorn the fruit—salted peach and preserved lemon are the lingering characters. It has good, tight yellow grapefruit acid." (2020 vintage)

James Suckling "Aromas of flint stones, dried lemons, buttered toast, green apples and dried pineapples. Sharp and focused with a medium body. Builds and opens up to sea shells and minerals. Serious chardonnay." (2020 vintage)

Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Intense grapefruit aroma leads, backed by some chopped herb notes, creamy lees and nougat notes too, the palate light-medium weighted and firmed by some grippy tannins. Excellent wine in a generous, full-bodied style, and has room to grow." (2020 vintage)

Founded by one of the pioneers of the Margaret River winemaking region, David Hohnen and his brother in law, Murray McHenry, an accomplished fine wine retailer. Both have been making wine in Margaret River since the early 1970’s. McHenry Hohnen vineyards are 100% biodynamic. Their three unique vineyards (Burnside, Calgardup and Hazel’s) produce wines that are a reflection of the land. McHenry Hohnen focusses on crafting site-expressive wines and are known for producing some of the region's best wines.

Margaret River is one of the best-known wine regions in Australia, recognized internationally for the quality of its wines and the natural beauty of the region. Although originally renowned for its unusually refined Cabernet Sauvignon and intensely citrusy Chardonnay varieties, the region now produces Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends and Shiraz.

Located in the south-western corner of Western Australia, it is famous for having a more 'European' wine style than its counterparts across Australia, owing to the regions temperate, coastal location which is very similar to that of Bordeaux.