Our finest Chardonnay from the Southern Hemisphere with the Chardonnay Excellence Australia & New Zealand Collection. This exceptional selection features six premium Chardonnays, each showcasing the distinctive terroir and winemaking expertise of these renowned regions. From the lush, tropical fruit notes of Australia's Margaret River to the crisp, mineral-driven wines of New Zealand's Marlborough, this collection offers a diverse tasting experience that highlights the unique characteristics of each region. Each bottle is crafted with precision and care, reflecting the commitment to quality and innovation that defines Chardonnay excellence in Australia and New Zealand. Perfect for Chardonnay enthusiasts and those seeking to explore new flavors, this collection provides a sophisticated journey through the best of Australasian Chardonnay. Enjoy the elegance and complexity of these exceptional wines with every sip.
1 x McHenry Hohnen Calgardup Brook Vineyard Chardonnay (Organic) 2018 ~ Margaret River, Western Australia
95/100 Campbell Mattinson 91/100 Decanter World Wine Awards 97/100 - Top Chardonnay Halliday Wine Companion Awards 2023 (2020 vintage) 95/100 The Wine Front (2017 vintage) 93/100 James Suckling (2017 vintage) 94/100 The Wine Front (2016 vintage) 94/11 Decanter World Wine Awards (2015 vintage) 97/100 The Real Review (2015 vintage) 96/100 The West Australian Wine Guide 2017 (2015 vintage) 95/100 James Halliday Wine Companion 2017 (2014 vintage) 93/100 The Real Review (2014 vintage)
Bronze - Royal Melbourne Wine Awards 2019 Bronze - 2019 Langton's Margaret River Wine Show Silver - Wine Show of Western Australia 2019
5-star Winery – Halliday Wine Companion
Halliday's Wine Companion Awards 2023 - Top Wineries of 2022 & 2023
Organic
Campbell Mattinson “Elegant power is a good way to describe it. It's flinty but not too much so, fleshed with stone fruit, touched up with meal and green apple, and intricately complex to close. All the while sweet fruit flows. It's an easy wine to get excited over.”
Decanter “Soft and creamy, with intense lemon curd augmenting baking spice, green pineapple and mango skin. Packed and phenolic, with freshness and length.”
The Winemaker “The nose opens with notes of oyster shell, frangipani and sea spray with delicate nashi pear pulp and nectarine. Wild fermentation with full solids provides flinty complexity and extended time on lees adds intrigue and excellent length to the palate. A distinctive saline acidity and attractive chalk-like structure complement the mineral nature of this unique Southern Margaret River vineyard near the Indian Ocean.”
Halliday Wine Companion Awards 2023, Erin Larkin "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)
Mike Bennie, The Wine Front "Far out. How good are McHenry Hohnen wines getting? And quite diverse in their feel compared to most from the region. Stellar. Lots of battonage, lots of lees, “I’m just obsessed with flavour” says winemaker Julian Grounds. Righteous. So much to like here. A quietly powerful, detailed chardonnay that shows with citrus, green apple, lashings of ‘mineral’, faint toast and whiffs of peanut/cashew. The palate follows a similar route, powerful in flavour but not stretching the palate with oomph, instead, precise, tight, true and long. Scintillating stuff here." (2017 Vintage)
Nick Butler, The Real Review "An attractive mix of white stone fruits, citrus rind and classy oak. It's creamy on the front palate, which dives into a tart lemon and lime acidity. Bright, fresh and balanced; it's a lovely wine, though lacking the core and fruit weight of warmer ripening seasons." (2017 Vintage)
Nick Stock, James Suckling "Quite savory and elegant chardonnay with aromas of fresh pastry and dry stones, as well as white melon and light peach. The palate has sleek, elegantly cut style with melon and peach here, too, Very crisp, long and elegant. Drink or hold. Screw cap." (2017 Vintage)
Gary Walsh, The Wine Front "White peach, mint nougat, subtle spice, stones and struck match. Medium bodied, cool and flinty, beautiful fine acidity, citrus and a suggestion of lemon curd, with a tight long lemon-laced finish. Great bone structure here, and a fine and exciting wine to drink." (2016 Vintage)
Nick Ryan, The Australian "The coolest of the three sites, feeling the force of the ocean breezes and planted on coastal sand. It shows. The wine is lean, tight and linear, smells of sea spray and the pith of preserved lemons, and hums with a fine, flinty acidity. For now, my pick of the three." (2016 Vintage)
Peter Forrestal, Decanter "Sourced from an estate vineyard in the region's cool south near Witchcliffe, this has restrained power and tightly coiled grapefruit and citrus flavours, before a mouth-puckering finish that lingers." (2015 Vintage)
Ray Jordan, The West Australian Wine Guide 2017 "Another superb wine from this vineyard which always seems to to produce wines of such delicate finesse and fineness. This is right on the money but still with an intensity and persistence that stamps the chardonnay style. The best yet from this vineyard." (2015 Vintage)
Mike Bennie, The Wine Front " We’ve all known that McHenry Hohnen has been a bit of a secret weapon for terrific (chardonnay particularly) Margaret River wines, but with their shift to biodynamic farming and now a new winemaker in Julian Grounds, hold onto your hats. Grounds has done his time at Giant Steps with Steve Flamsteed, and has papal blessings from Flamsteed in this new role. Indeed, word on the street is, many, many people are thrilled for this move. A touch of high end Yarra hits Margs. Nice one. Grounds in his early days has already reached out to say gday, personally, unprompted it felt, which says something about determination and intent. Stay tuned.
Complex bouquet shows stone fruit, green apple, faint flint/struck match, whiff of grilled nuts, faint fern character. Pitch perfect delicate. More assertive to taste with a flood of green apple, savoury oatmeal and nuttiness, gentle cedar spice, cool acidity. Even flow, superb balance, elegance. It’s very, very good, seamless, supple chardonnay. Classic. " (2015 Vintage)
James Halliday "The Calgardup Brook Vineyard lies just inland from the coast, with well weathered sandy, schisty soils; hand-picked, whole bunch-pressed to French oak (20% new), wild-fermented, no mlf, aged on lees. Lemon meringue is a great call for the bouquet, some spice also in the action; elegant white peach flavours give way to bouncy grapefruit zest on the well balanced and long finish." (2014 Vintage)
Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Light, bright yellow hue and a lifted ethyl acetate aroma, the volatility confirmed by the palate. It has issues. Most drinkers would not identify them, but the VA (volatile acidity) did inhibit the flavour and aroma. Extraordinarily, though, the longer this wine was exposed to the air, the better it tasted. Food (Comte cheese) also helped tame the beast. It soon became delicious. Very dry, nicely concentrated flavour and acidity, layers of complex aromas and flavours, good oak and 'worked' lees characters. A very good wine indeed. Wild ferment VA is forgiven." (2014 Vintage)
James Halliday "Whole bunch-pressed, wild yeast-fermented, matured in French barriques (20% new) with lees contact. Is very focused and tight, its flavours wound up in a ball of fruit, with generic white stone fruit and melon lurking in the shadows." (2013 Vintage)
Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Medium to full straw-yellow hue. The bouquet is toasty and lightly smoky, attractive and quite complex, with richness and concentration, depth and weight. Indeed, it's an opulent style, full-bodied and generously proportioned. The finish is very long and resonant, partly due to the heat from apparently high alcohol. (it certainly seems higher than the stated 13.5%) This needs food and would cope with strongly flavoured white meat dishes." (2013 Vintage)
James Halliday Wine Companion 2014 "This has the lightest colour of the three, here the soils, just inland from the coast, are sandy and schisty, and well weathered; it is the most intense and elegant, with white stone fruit and grapefruit at its core." (2012 Vintage)
James Halliday Wine Companion 2012 "Bright straw-green; the faintly funky bouquet is complex, an appropriate introduction for a palate with layers of flavour of white peach and fig/cashew ex partial mlf, before glorious grapefruit acidity takes over and drives the wine through to its lingering, pure finish." (2009 Vintage)
McHenry Hohnen was 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 focuses 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.
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular grapes. Chardonnay is made in a wide range of styles from lean to rich, creamy white wines aged in oak. Bolder, richer, full-bodied and buttery Chardonnays are made using oak and are produced in California, Burgundy, and Australia. Unoaked chardonnays such as Chablis and those produced in Chile, New Zealand, and other parts of France are leaner and often crisp and mineraly, with delicate flavors. By law, if a label says “Chablis,” it must be Chardonnay.
1 x Nanny Goat Chardonnay (Organic) 2022 - Central Otago, New Zealand
94/100 Ray Jordan (2021 vintage) 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS (2021 vintage) 93/100 Bob Campbell, The Real Review (2021 vintage) 90/100 James Suckling (2021 vintage) 94/100 Bob Campbell, The Real Review (2019 vintage) 90/100 New Zealand Wine Rater (2019 vintage) 90/100 James Suckling (2019 vintage)
4.5 Stars - Micheal Cooper
Gold - New Zealand International Wine Show (2021 vintage) Silver - London Wine Competition (2019 vintage) Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2019 vintage) Bronze - International Wine Challenge (2019 vintage)
Organic
Ray Jordan "A most textural and generous wine but one held with close attention from a crisp acidity and edgy lemony grapefruit control. The palate is deeply complex with a nutty creaminess but then the nectarine and citrus notes lift. Went through malo and then had some lees stirring which have clearly contributed to its appealing mouth feel. The finish is almost refreshing. A very nice wine. (2021 vintage)
Cameron Douglas MS "A youthful and delightful bouquet of fresh white fleshed orchard fruits with apple and white peach then gentle baking spices from barrel and a light baked nut and gun-flint quality. A silky texture touches the palate first then a medium+ to full-bodied weight and core fruit flavours immerse the palate in style. Contrasting acidity, flavours of nutty barrel spices, stone fruits, gun-flint and citrus then gently warming alcohol lead to a lengthy and quite frankly, delicious finish. (2021 vintage)
Bob Campbell, The Real Review "A fruit-forward chardonnay with white peach, apricot, ginger, nutty yeast lees and spicy oak flavours. Quite lush but with a fine tannic backbone that prevents any sense of cloying. Accessible and inviting." (2021 vintage)
James Suckling "This has toasted bread, cashew and biscuit notes alongside poached pears, passion fruits and lemons. Creamy and round with a medium to full body and fresh finish. " (2021 vintage)
Micheal Cooper "The 2021 vintage is a distinctly cool-climate style, hand-picked at Bannockburn and Pisa, and fermented and matured for 10 months in French oak puncheons (20 per cent new). Bright yellow/green, with a strong, fresh, citrusy bouquet, it is full-bodied and youthful, with rich, citrusy, slightly appley flavours, gently seasoned with oak, lively acidity and a dry, finely poised finish.
Bob Campbell, The Real Review "Intense and textural chardonnay with toast, grapefruit-citrus, ginger, oyster shell, roasted nut and spicy oak flavours. Smooth-textured wine with good weight and mouth-feel. A very stylish wine that promises to age well." (2019 vintage)
New Zealand Wine Rater "Very much a clean, primary, new-world style bouq uet with tangy, tropical fruit, and bubble-gum aromas with a hint of cinnamon spice, and toasty oak. Quite potent, tasty, and concentrated with plenty of flavour, and vibrant lemon acidity but a little short, and one dimensional at the moment." (2019 vintage)
James Suckling "This has peach and pear aromas with some lemon, nougat and a hint of tropical fruit. The palate has melon and tropical-fruit flavors, as well as some more savory nougat" (2019 vintage)
Organic wines are made from grapes grown without pesticides, following strict organic standards. Organic wines are produced in vineyards that do not use synthetic chemicals. Certified organic wines have been certified by BioGro Organic certification in New Zealand.
Highly awarded and acclaimed, wine-maker Alan Peters-Oswald is a specialist premium pinot noir maker. The Central Otago wine region is the world's southern-most commercial wine-growing region, and famous for its Pinot Noir. It differs from all other New Zealand wine areas in that it is inland, in the foothills of the Southern Alps. The level of sunlight is very high, something that accounts for the high levels of alcohol that are often found in Central Otago wines.
Nestled within a timeless and sensual landscape, Nanny Goat Estate Vineyard sits between 270m and 290m above sea level spread across two ancient, North East facing terraces. This is a region of climatic extremes with typically very hot summers, short autumns and bitterly cold winter days. Challenging conditions for producing world-class cool climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Successive periods of glaciation and recession, followed by erosion by Mata Au / Clutha River have shaped the Nanny Goat Estate landscape by creating distinct terraces of alluvial soils that are pastiche of loess, gravel, schist and mineral quartz. Generations of farming and the associated cultivation of lucerne and other feed crops have added organic matter to the wind blowen loessial topsoil providing us with a nice balance between vine vigor and free draining attributes.
1 x Giant Steps ""Sexton Vineyard"" Chardonnay 2019 ~ Yarra Valley Australia
96/100 The Wine Front 95/100 James Suckling 93/100 Wine Spectator 92/100 Tom Cannavan 91/100 CellarTracker 17/20 Jancis Robinson
95/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage) 95/100 Gary Walsh (2018 vintage) 95/100 James Halliday (2018 vintage) 95/100 The Wine Front (2018 vintage) 94/100 Wine Enthusiast (2018 vintage) 93/100 Decanter (2018 vintage) 91/100 Wine Spectator (2018 vintage) 16.5/20 Jancis Robinson (2018 vintage)
James Suckling, "This has a savory, crushed stone edge to the nose with fresh pastry, as well as white peaches, lemon pastry and hazelnuts with honeysuckle and citrus blossom. The palate has an alluring density that holds very long into the peach, lemon and pastry-flavored finish. A spark of zesty lemon to close."
Tom Cannavan, "Some granite and ironstone influence on the clay loam soils here, the wine whole bunch pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in 500L French puncheons. Matured for 10 months in barrel (20% new) it did not go through malolactic and there was no batonnage. Very clean and mineral and fruit driven on the nose, the oak less prominent on this one. Very juicy and ripe in style, though the sharpness of the acid structure gives lovely focus, a rounding touch of barrel character easing the finish. Stylish."
James Suckling "A very attractive, succulent style with intense and energetic white-peach and lemon aromas and flavors. The drive and depth on the palate really impress here. Drink or hold. Screw cap." (2018 vintage)
James Halliday "...A wine with substance and depth, and a (non-residual sugar) touch of fruit sweetness...Identical vinification to its siblings, the intention to place all the emphasis on the site, including its micro-flora. I am confident that the individual personality of each sibling will express itself more and more over the next 2 years." (2018 vintage)
Gary Walsh "I think this was my favourite of the Chardonnay releases. A little struck match, melon, spiced oatmeal. Big flavour, powerful fruit... Such a good thing to drink." (2018 vintage)
Wine Enthusiast "Giant Steps owner Phil Sexton's self-named vineyard soars once again in this beautifully textured Chardonnay that is all at once modern and timeless. Take a deep dive into a nose of honeysuckle, lime leaf, salted cashew, waxy lemon and stony minerals. Then let the liquid roll around on your tongue, pricking it gently with crystalline acidity. Complex and ageworthy yet totally approachable now, this is the face of today's Aussie Chardonnay, and it's a mighty fine one.” (2018 vintage)
Decanter "There is incredible depth of quality in Yarra Chardonnay: Mount Mary, Mac Forbes, TarraWarra, Yabby Lake, Yarra Yering, Soumah, Santolin… Giant Steps vinifies all its four fab single-vineyard wines the same way (wild-yeast, 20% new puncheons, lees stirring, eight months’ ageing). This is broad, juicy and rich with peach and orange flavours, direct acidity and creamy oak spice." (2018 vintage)
Giant Steps is a privately owned, estate based, Yarra Valley grower and winemaker. Giant Steps has forged a reputation for delivering some of Australia’s most consistent, over-performing, varietal wines. These wines have received global acclaim and established a strong reputation in restaurants and fine wine stores around the world.
Since 2003 Giant Steps wines have collectively been awarded 19 trophies and over 50 gold medals at major international and domestic wine shows, and has been named one of the Top 100 Wineries in the World by Wine & Spirits Magazine, US for each of the last three years. Owner Phil Sexton came to wine via beer. He started Little Creatures, a favourite of Aussie hopheads, in Perth (Western Australia). Winemaker Steve Flamsteed works exclusively on Giant Steps single vineyard wines. Yarra Valley is a region with a cool climate, best known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Yarra Valley is an hour’s drive east of Melbourne. Located on the steep north facing slopes of the Warramate Ranges, alongside the vineyards of Yarra Yering and Coldstream Hills, the Sexton vineyard is exposed and demanding.
Being on the higher slopes, topsoil is thin and root systems have established themselves in shallow gravelly loams above a tough rocky clay base. Bunch yields set naturally low in this environment, facilitating a low intervention approach to what is otherwise hand tended viticulture. Biodynamic vineyard management principles are being introduced with the purpose of further distinguishing the site and improving grape and wine quality.
1 x Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2019 - Victoria, Australia
93/100 The Wine Front 92/100 Halliday Wine Companion 90/100 The Real Review 91/100 Toni Paterson MW (2018 vintage) 91/100 Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine (2018 vintage) 96/100 GOLD James Halliday (2017 vintage) 95/200 Jeremy Oliver (2017 vintage) 92/100 The Wine Front (2017 vintage)
Four Stars - Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine (2018 vintage) Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2010 vintage) Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2008 vintage) Silver - Decanter World Wine Awards (2009 vintage)
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
The Wine Front "Very Nice Chardonnay....Refreshing for sure. Good detail.... It does struck match and flint, it does citrus and green apple, some spicy oak there, it does a slightly rubbery tightness and a milky haze in texture through glass shard cuts. It’s a wine that feels primped and preened into its style of racy, leaner, taut, rather than reflecting inherent fruit character, but in that way hits its markers and will delight an audience of appreciative drinkers...."
Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "No single-block wines this vintage, with all fruit allocated to the single-vineyard wines across the range. This has morphed into a more savoury wine with almost a complete absence of fruit flavours, except for a flutter of citrus. It has the sulphide stamp, the restraint yet even tighter with acidity leading. A hint of beeswax, just the finest creamy leesy flavour....don't chill it down too much."
The Real Review "palate is restrained, lean and high-tensioned. Enjoy with food."
The Winemaker "Defined by its fresh, citrus blossom aromatic lift and precise long, lingering finish. Characteristic pure and intense aroma. The palate is poised and complex, with layered fruit flavours. Tightly wound together with a precise minerality, the wine has beautiful line and length."
Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine “Elegant and beautifully balanced.....Opens with spicy cracked black pepper and bright notes of freshly picked blackberries. Plush and open with lovely freshness and vibrancy offering attractive fruit purity and peppery complexity....combines black cherry aromas with oak spices and a subtle touch of whole-bunch fragrance. There’s supple flesh on the palate with plenty of balanced tannin.” (2018 vintage)
The Winemaker "A perfumed and spicy Syrah, medium-bodied in style. The palate is concentrated and silky, with finely structured tannins, bright fruit characters, wonderful elegance and depth. Aged for 11 months in French oak. Stored carefully, this wine will age gracefully for ten years. " (2018 vintage)
Australian Wine Companion "This is another fantastic release under this label. Garden herbs, nuts, twigs and spice notes blend seamlessly with red and black cherries, licorice and wood smoke. Flamboyance is its middle name, but it has the discipline to make the most of it." (2017 vintage)
Yabby Lake Vineyard was established by the Kirby family in 1998 and over the past decade, Yabby Lake has built a reputation for single-vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of great purity and character.
James Halliday "This high-profile wine business was established by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. In 1998 they established Yabby Lake Vineyard, under the direction of vineyard manager Keith Harris; the vineyard is on a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is the 25ha of pinot noir, 14ha of chardonnay and 8ha of pinot gris; 3h of shiraz, merlot and sauvignon blanc take a back seat. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as Group Winemaker has added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning Pinot Noir in 2014, and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots."
Led by Tom Carson "one of Australia's most lauded winemakers" so cites Huon Hooke of the Real Review. Under Carson's direction, Yabby Lake's philosophy is to craft wines representative of their site and their season in which they were grown. Yabby Lake believe it’s this attention and care in the vineyard that is most critical to allowing this expression.
Huon Hooke "One of Carson’s biggest moments was winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy [Australia's most prestigious winemaker accolade] with his 2012 Block 1 Pinot Noir – the first pinot ever to win this coveted award."
Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria's most important Australian wine regions, located an hour's drive south of Melbourne on the southern coast of Australia. It is one of Australia's coolest winegrowing regions and produces elegant Chardonnay and internationally award-winning Pinot Noir wines, and gaining a reputation for its quality medium-bodied, peppery shiraz.
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular grapes, Chardonnay is made in a wide range of styles from lean, to rich, creamy white wines aged in oak. Bolder, richer, full-bodied and buttery Chardonnays are made using oak and are produced in California, Burgundy, and Australia. Unoaked chardonnays such as Chablis and those produced in Chile, New Zealand, and other parts of France are leaner and often crisp and mineraly, with delicate flavors. By law, if a label says “Chablis,” it must be Chardonnay.
1 x Man O' War Valhalla Chardonnay 2020 ~ Waiheke Island, New Zealand
95/100 Cam Douglas MS 94/100 The Real Review, Bob Campbell 94/100 James Suckling 93/100 The Real Review, Stephen Wong 93/100 The Real Review, Bob Campbell 95/100 The Real Review, Bob Campbell (2019 vintage) 94/100 Cam Douglas MS (2019 vintage) 95/100 The Real Review, Bob Campbell (2018 vintage) 92/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage) 90/100 Cam Douglas MS (2018 vintage) 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson (2018 vintage)
Ranked #4 of New Zealand Chardonnays - Wine 360 5 Star Rated by Bob Campbell
Cam Douglas MS "A full-bodied, nutty, rich and powerful wine with a core of roasted stone fruit and toasty cashew-nut oak flavours, fine textured tannins and a brazil-nut butter texture. Baked peaches and lemon, nectarine skin and grapefruit. There’s vanilla and nut, warming alcohol and medium+ acidity. A wine that ticks all the boxes of weight and intensity, richness and power, flavour and deliciousness. "
The Real Review, Bob Campbell "Big, rich and creamy chardonnay with layers of tree fruit, citrus fruit, mineral and oak flavours. Complex, satisfying and generously proportioned, with a solid backbone of tangy acid and peppery tannins. An heroic chardonnay with development potential."
James Suckling "A crisp and very lively chardonnay with sliced lemon, green apple and a hint of nougat. Medium-bodied with excellent energy and a minerally finish. Salty."
The Real Review, Stephen Wong "Tight, flinty sulfide/smoke nose, young, closed. Very high-toned citrus and herb notes - in the reductive, mineral style. Concentrated fruit, sulfites dominating at present, will this integrate over time? Very modern style, quite lean. Just lacking the fruit weight and depth to stand up the level of reduction here; still very good, but shy of great"
The Real Review, Bob Campbell "Light, slightly phenolic (in a good way) with grapefruit, sizzled butter, and oyster shell flavours. A bit simple at first but opened up as it sat in the glass."
The Real Review, Bob Campbell "Rich, complex chardonnay with grapefruit, nectarine, green apple, mint and a saline-mineral character.A lively, high-energy wine that promises to age very well indeed." (2019 vintage)
Cam Douglas MS "A rich and captivating bouquet with aromas of vanilla and roasted peach, baked apple and cashew nut, sour cream and burnt butter, nectarine and baking spice. There's no mistaking the power, the oak and the variety. Full-bodied and creamy textured on the palate with stone fruit and grapefruit flavours, vanilla and rw sugar with baking spice and smoke flavours of oak, fine tannins and mediumacidity. This is a big wine, but very well made, quite serious , rich, bold, nutty and ready." (2019 vintage)
Bob Campbell "Rich, weighty, creamy-textured chardonnay with toast, sizzled butter, peach, melon, spice and citrus flavours (among others). A satisfyingly complex and textural wine that demonstrate impressive viticultural and winemaking skills" (2018 vintage)
James Suckling "Sweetly floral and offering a wealth of fresh melon and peaches with orange blossom, too. The palate has a rich, fleshy and quite succulent feel with plenty of flavor, following the peach and lemon vein. Grilled nuts to close." (2018 vintage)
Cam Douglas "There’s no mistaking the power and impact from this wine with aromas of cashew nut and whipped cream, roasted peaches and vanilla, smoky wood and brown baking spices. On the palate - full-bodied with a creamy texture, fruity reflecting the aromas from the bouquet. With the presented level of bottle-development, this wine is ready to enjoy from today and through 2021." (2018 vintage)
Jancis Robinson "...this is proper premier cru stuff, with all the sophistication and minerality (whatever that might be!) of great Chardonnay." (2018 vintage)
The Winemaker "The palate is concentrated with waves of harmonious flavours of ripe citrus, flinty lees characters and nutty, toasty flavours. The acidity is well-matched with the weight and concentration of the wine, rich enough not to be distracted by any malo or heavy lees work."
Raymond Chan "The nose is softly full and voluminous with generous and up-front aromas of ripe yellow stonefruits along with nuances of citrus and tropical fruit melded with well-packed complexing aromas of gunflint reduction, creamy barrel-ferment and nutty oak. This has depth and power. Medium-full bodied, the palate has rich and mouth-filling flavours of ripe yellow stonefruits with hints of citrus and tropical fruit, integrated with a fine, complex amalgam of nutty oak and flinty reduction. There is a suggestion of richness and creaminess from the barrel-ferment, which is balanced by bright, refreshing acidity. The wine carries with power and drives along a fine-textured line, leading to a long and sustained finish. This is a rich, mouth-filling and concentrated, complex Chardonnay with stonefruit, nutty oak and gunflint interest on a powerful palate. Match with poultry, pork and veal dishes over the next 5-6+ years. A selection of the finest barrels. Fruit from the volcanic hillsides WBP, and fruit from the sheltered hillsides foot-stomped, then fully indigenous yeast barrel-fermented with full solids to 14.0% alc., the wine aged 11 months in 36% new French oak puncheons.." (2017 vintage)
Robert Parker The Wine Advocate "Man O’ War is without a doubt one of New Zealand’s greatest wineries in the making and one to watch."
Jancis Robinson “Waiheke Island, home to one of the country’s best Syrah producers Man O’ War…New Zealand is second only to the Rhône in the consistency of quality it achieves.”
Raymond Chan "Man O’ War is arguably Waiheke Island’s most significant wine producer.."
Man O'War Vineyards is a leading New Zealand wine producer on Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf. It is known for its consistently high-quality range of wines made from grape varieties like Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Each small parcel of vines is carefully tended and harvested by hand, then vinified separately, fusing classic Old World techniques with innovative New World ideas.
Waiheke Island is a wine-producing region just 18km east of Auckland city. This hilly island is home to a healthy population of hippies and artists, as well as some of Auckland's most famous vineyards. Waiheke Island's specialty is elegant Bordeaux Blend wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but Syrah and Chardonnay are also important grape varieties planted here.
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular grapes, Chardonnay is made in a wide range of styles from lean, to rich, creamy white wines aged in oak. Bolder, richer, full-bodied and buttery Chardonnays are made using oak and are produced in California, Burgundy, and Australia. Unoaked chardonnays such as Chablis and those produced in Chile, New Zealand, and other parts of France are leaner and often crisp and mineraly, with delicate flavors. By law, if a label says “Chablis,” it must be Chardonnay.
1 x Dog Point Chardonnay (Organic) 2019 ~ Marlborough, New Zealand
96/100 & 5 Stars Bob Campbell MW 95/100 James Suckling 94/100 Cameron Douglas 94/100 Gary Walsh 93/100 Vinous Bronze - CellarTracker 93/100 Wine Spectator (2018 vintage) Bronze - CellarTracker (2018 vintage) 93/100 Tom Cannavan (2017 vintage) 18/20 Vinum Wine Magazine (2017 vintage) 91/100 Wine Spectator (2016 vintage) 17/20 Vinum Wine Magazine (2016 vintage) 95/100 The Wine Front (2015 vintage) 93/100 Robert Parker (2015 vintage) 93/100 Tim Atkin (2015 vintage) 92/100 Wines & Spirits (2015 vintage) 92/100 Jasper Morris - Inside Burgndy (2015 vintage) 91/100 Decanter (2015 vintage)
5 Stars - Michael Coopers
Organic
Bob Campbell MW "Seductive chardonnay with white peach, citrus, grapefruit, oyster-shell and subtle spicy oak underpinned by delicious acidity. Intense wine with a lengthy finish."
James Suckling "Smoke, hay, dried mango, preserved lemon and buttered toast on the nose. Full-bodied with sharp acidity and a phenolic texture. Tight, concentrated and long."
Michael Cooper "This classy wine is estate-grown and hand-harvested on the south side of the Wairau Valley, fermented and matured for 18 months in French oak barriques (10 per cent new in 2019), and given a full, softening malolactic fermentation. The 2019 vintage is bright, light yellow/green, with a fragrant bouquet. Full-bodied, it is still very fresh and youthful, with concentrated, ripe stonefruit flavours, hints of toast and butterscotch, lively acidity, and impressive vigour and length. Certified organic."
Gary Walsh, The Wine Front "Intense sort of Chardonnay here, kind of like sticking your head out of a car window while driving at 110 km/h, which I’m sure is also the sort of thing that a dog would love too. Plenty of struck match, pink grapefruit, oatmeal and bran, BBQ chicken, guava and spice. And more, but that’ll do for now. Tight and tangy, but also bold and packed with flavour, biscuit oak, a mix of ripe lime and stone fruit, flint and funk, and a mouth-watering finish of excellent length and energy. Really very good."
Cameron Douglas MS "Alluring scents of ripe citrus and apple, peach, quince and a touch of golden kiwifruit followed by spices and mild toasty barrel layers, vanilla and raw sugar then a gun-flint soil complexity. On the palate – youthful and vibrant with layers of barrel spice and wood underpinning flavours of stone fruit and citrus reflecting the bouquet. Fine wood tannins, medium+ acidity, knocking on the door of full-bodied and a satin texture showcases both this wines deliciousness now, potential for cellaring and readiness for food."
Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous "The 2019 Dog Point is one hell of a mouthful of a Chardonnay with its full-bodied, concentrated, vanilla-infused core, offering density and richness of white stone fruit and oak-derived grilled nut and bacon flavors. It would be difficult to call this wine subtle, but what it lacks in demureness, it makes up for in impressiveness. Hailing from Marlborough, its volume is kept in check by natural acidity, creating a fine, precise and lengthy finish."
Tasting Note "Dog Point Chardonnay 2019 is a very young aromatic white. On the nose there are smoky notes, hay, dried mango and lemon. The palate is crisp and tight. Concentrated and long, with strong (but very pleasant) citrus. Full-bodied."
Oz Wine Review 2019 “Part of the secret to this label’s success is the Dog Point Vineyard itself, which is one of the oldest privately owned vineyards in Marlborough. Planted by Ivan and Margaret Sutherland back in the late 1970s, it remains not only the backbone of the Dog Point label but also a key source of fruit for a whole swathe of premium Marlborough producers.”
Robert Parker "...Zesty and refreshing, with a long, mouthwatering finish, this is a compelling example of Marlborough Chardonnay....The 2015 Chardonnay is a smoky, toasty, medium to full-bodied effort marked by a terrific acid line. That grapefruit note provides the backbone over which riper notions of white peach, toasted hazelnut and pineapple rest. " (2015 vintage)
Wines & Spirits "What’s great about this wine is its ability to maintain its size and scope without the flavors becoming overbearing. From vines planted in 1981, this wine ferments in French oak (15 percent new), and integrates the wood notes into the fruit seamlessly. It’s a full-bodied wine that moves well, with notes of chamomile, ripe lemon and raw hazelnuts tethered to breezy acidity. It has lively energy and will cellar well for up to five years." (2015 vintage)
Tim Atkin "Not as well known as the Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc releases, but every bit as good in my opinion, this is frequently among my favourite South Island chardonnays. Toasty, savoury and enticing, it has citrus and beeswax notes supported by fresh, palate cleansing acidity and a nutty finish." (2015 vintage)
Tina Gellie "When Cloudy Bay was bought by LVMH, viticulturalist Ivan Sutherland and oenologist James Healy left to start Dog Point. Aromas of white peach an grapefruit with a firm citrus backbone, balanced by buttery oak. Intensely flavoured white to enjoy with fish." (2015 vintage)
Decanter "Aromas of white peach and grapefruit with a firm citrus backbone, balanced by buttery oak. Intensely flavoured white to enjoy with fish." (2015 vintage)
The Real Review "Dog Point Vineyard, one of Marlborough’s brightest stars." (2015 vintage)
Organic wines are made from grapes grown without pesticides, following strict organic standards. Organic wines are produced in vineyards that do not use synthetic chemicals.Certified organic wines have been certified by Biogro New Zealand.
Dog Point is one of New Zealand's most loved wineries formed by famous Cloudy Bay's wineries former viticulturalist and winemaker Ivan Sutherland and James Healy. Some years ago they decided to go out on their own creating Dog Point. Dog Point vineyards are some of the earliest vineyards to be planted in Marlborough and have some of the oldest vines in the region. Dog Point is named for the sheep-herding history of the area.
Organic philosophies drive Dog Point's approach to wine growing and in March 2012, 150 hectares of Vineyards were certified organic by BioGro New Zealand, with another 60 hectares certified as C1 (2 years in conversion). A flock of around 2,000 sheep including Romney, Perendale Cross and Merino Wiltshire Cross are grazed in the winter to keep the grass low and fertilise as they go.
Our finest Chardonnay from the Southern Hemisphere with the Chardonnay Excellence Australia & New Zealand Collection. This exceptional selection features six premium Chardonnays, each showcasing the distinctive terroir and winemaking expertise of these renowned regions. From the lush, tropical fruit notes of Australia's Margaret River to the crisp, mineral-driven wines of New Zealand's Marlborough, this collection offers a diverse tasting experience that highlights the unique characteristics of each region. Each bottle is crafted with precision and care, reflecting the commitment to quality and innovation that defines Chardonnay excellence in Australia and New Zealand. Perfect for Chardonnay enthusiasts and those seeking to explore new flavors, this collection provides a sophisticated journey through the best of Australasian Chardonnay. Enjoy the elegance and complexity of these exceptional wines with every sip.
1 x McHenry Hohnen Calgardup Brook Vineyard Chardonnay (Organic) 2018 ~ Margaret River, Western Australia
95/100 Campbell Mattinson 91/100 Decanter World Wine Awards 97/100 - Top Chardonnay Halliday Wine Companion Awards 2023 (2020 vintage) 95/100 The Wine Front (2017 vintage) 93/100 James Suckling (2017 vintage) 94/100 The Wine Front (2016 vintage) 94/11 Decanter World Wine Awards (2015 vintage) 97/100 The Real Review (2015 vintage) 96/100 The West Australian Wine Guide 2017 (2015 vintage) 95/100 James Halliday Wine Companion 2017 (2014 vintage) 93/100 The Real Review (2014 vintage)
Bronze - Royal Melbourne Wine Awards 2019 Bronze - 2019 Langton's Margaret River Wine Show Silver - Wine Show of Western Australia 2019
5-star Winery – Halliday Wine Companion
Halliday's Wine Companion Awards 2023 - Top Wineries of 2022 & 2023
Organic
Campbell Mattinson “Elegant power is a good way to describe it. It's flinty but not too much so, fleshed with stone fruit, touched up with meal and green apple, and intricately complex to close. All the while sweet fruit flows. It's an easy wine to get excited over.”
Decanter “Soft and creamy, with intense lemon curd augmenting baking spice, green pineapple and mango skin. Packed and phenolic, with freshness and length.”
The Winemaker “The nose opens with notes of oyster shell, frangipani and sea spray with delicate nashi pear pulp and nectarine. Wild fermentation with full solids provides flinty complexity and extended time on lees adds intrigue and excellent length to the palate. A distinctive saline acidity and attractive chalk-like structure complement the mineral nature of this unique Southern Margaret River vineyard near the Indian Ocean.”
Halliday Wine Companion Awards 2023, Erin Larkin "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)
Mike Bennie, The Wine Front "Far out. How good are McHenry Hohnen wines getting? And quite diverse in their feel compared to most from the region. Stellar. Lots of battonage, lots of lees, “I’m just obsessed with flavour” says winemaker Julian Grounds. Righteous. So much to like here. A quietly powerful, detailed chardonnay that shows with citrus, green apple, lashings of ‘mineral’, faint toast and whiffs of peanut/cashew. The palate follows a similar route, powerful in flavour but not stretching the palate with oomph, instead, precise, tight, true and long. Scintillating stuff here." (2017 Vintage)
Nick Butler, The Real Review "An attractive mix of white stone fruits, citrus rind and classy oak. It's creamy on the front palate, which dives into a tart lemon and lime acidity. Bright, fresh and balanced; it's a lovely wine, though lacking the core and fruit weight of warmer ripening seasons." (2017 Vintage)
Nick Stock, James Suckling "Quite savory and elegant chardonnay with aromas of fresh pastry and dry stones, as well as white melon and light peach. The palate has sleek, elegantly cut style with melon and peach here, too, Very crisp, long and elegant. Drink or hold. Screw cap." (2017 Vintage)
Gary Walsh, The Wine Front "White peach, mint nougat, subtle spice, stones and struck match. Medium bodied, cool and flinty, beautiful fine acidity, citrus and a suggestion of lemon curd, with a tight long lemon-laced finish. Great bone structure here, and a fine and exciting wine to drink." (2016 Vintage)
Nick Ryan, The Australian "The coolest of the three sites, feeling the force of the ocean breezes and planted on coastal sand. It shows. The wine is lean, tight and linear, smells of sea spray and the pith of preserved lemons, and hums with a fine, flinty acidity. For now, my pick of the three." (2016 Vintage)
Peter Forrestal, Decanter "Sourced from an estate vineyard in the region's cool south near Witchcliffe, this has restrained power and tightly coiled grapefruit and citrus flavours, before a mouth-puckering finish that lingers." (2015 Vintage)
Ray Jordan, The West Australian Wine Guide 2017 "Another superb wine from this vineyard which always seems to to produce wines of such delicate finesse and fineness. This is right on the money but still with an intensity and persistence that stamps the chardonnay style. The best yet from this vineyard." (2015 Vintage)
Mike Bennie, The Wine Front " We’ve all known that McHenry Hohnen has been a bit of a secret weapon for terrific (chardonnay particularly) Margaret River wines, but with their shift to biodynamic farming and now a new winemaker in Julian Grounds, hold onto your hats. Grounds has done his time at Giant Steps with Steve Flamsteed, and has papal blessings from Flamsteed in this new role. Indeed, word on the street is, many, many people are thrilled for this move. A touch of high end Yarra hits Margs. Nice one. Grounds in his early days has already reached out to say gday, personally, unprompted it felt, which says something about determination and intent. Stay tuned.
Complex bouquet shows stone fruit, green apple, faint flint/struck match, whiff of grilled nuts, faint fern character. Pitch perfect delicate. More assertive to taste with a flood of green apple, savoury oatmeal and nuttiness, gentle cedar spice, cool acidity. Even flow, superb balance, elegance. It’s very, very good, seamless, supple chardonnay. Classic. " (2015 Vintage)
James Halliday "The Calgardup Brook Vineyard lies just inland from the coast, with well weathered sandy, schisty soils; hand-picked, whole bunch-pressed to French oak (20% new), wild-fermented, no mlf, aged on lees. Lemon meringue is a great call for the bouquet, some spice also in the action; elegant white peach flavours give way to bouncy grapefruit zest on the well balanced and long finish." (2014 Vintage)
Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Light, bright yellow hue and a lifted ethyl acetate aroma, the volatility confirmed by the palate. It has issues. Most drinkers would not identify them, but the VA (volatile acidity) did inhibit the flavour and aroma. Extraordinarily, though, the longer this wine was exposed to the air, the better it tasted. Food (Comte cheese) also helped tame the beast. It soon became delicious. Very dry, nicely concentrated flavour and acidity, layers of complex aromas and flavours, good oak and 'worked' lees characters. A very good wine indeed. Wild ferment VA is forgiven." (2014 Vintage)
James Halliday "Whole bunch-pressed, wild yeast-fermented, matured in French barriques (20% new) with lees contact. Is very focused and tight, its flavours wound up in a ball of fruit, with generic white stone fruit and melon lurking in the shadows." (2013 Vintage)
Huon Hooke, The Real Review "Medium to full straw-yellow hue. The bouquet is toasty and lightly smoky, attractive and quite complex, with richness and concentration, depth and weight. Indeed, it's an opulent style, full-bodied and generously proportioned. The finish is very long and resonant, partly due to the heat from apparently high alcohol. (it certainly seems higher than the stated 13.5%) This needs food and would cope with strongly flavoured white meat dishes." (2013 Vintage)
James Halliday Wine Companion 2014 "This has the lightest colour of the three, here the soils, just inland from the coast, are sandy and schisty, and well weathered; it is the most intense and elegant, with white stone fruit and grapefruit at its core." (2012 Vintage)
James Halliday Wine Companion 2012 "Bright straw-green; the faintly funky bouquet is complex, an appropriate introduction for a palate with layers of flavour of white peach and fig/cashew ex partial mlf, before glorious grapefruit acidity takes over and drives the wine through to its lingering, pure finish." (2009 Vintage)
McHenry Hohnen was 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 focuses 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.
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular grapes. Chardonnay is made in a wide range of styles from lean to rich, creamy white wines aged in oak. Bolder, richer, full-bodied and buttery Chardonnays are made using oak and are produced in California, Burgundy, and Australia. Unoaked chardonnays such as Chablis and those produced in Chile, New Zealand, and other parts of France are leaner and often crisp and mineraly, with delicate flavors. By law, if a label says “Chablis,” it must be Chardonnay.
1 x Nanny Goat Chardonnay (Organic) 2022 - Central Otago, New Zealand
94/100 Ray Jordan (2021 vintage) 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS (2021 vintage) 93/100 Bob Campbell, The Real Review (2021 vintage) 90/100 James Suckling (2021 vintage) 94/100 Bob Campbell, The Real Review (2019 vintage) 90/100 New Zealand Wine Rater (2019 vintage) 90/100 James Suckling (2019 vintage)
4.5 Stars - Micheal Cooper
Gold - New Zealand International Wine Show (2021 vintage) Silver - London Wine Competition (2019 vintage) Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2019 vintage) Bronze - International Wine Challenge (2019 vintage)
Organic
Ray Jordan "A most textural and generous wine but one held with close attention from a crisp acidity and edgy lemony grapefruit control. The palate is deeply complex with a nutty creaminess but then the nectarine and citrus notes lift. Went through malo and then had some lees stirring which have clearly contributed to its appealing mouth feel. The finish is almost refreshing. A very nice wine. (2021 vintage)
Cameron Douglas MS "A youthful and delightful bouquet of fresh white fleshed orchard fruits with apple and white peach then gentle baking spices from barrel and a light baked nut and gun-flint quality. A silky texture touches the palate first then a medium+ to full-bodied weight and core fruit flavours immerse the palate in style. Contrasting acidity, flavours of nutty barrel spices, stone fruits, gun-flint and citrus then gently warming alcohol lead to a lengthy and quite frankly, delicious finish. (2021 vintage)
Bob Campbell, The Real Review "A fruit-forward chardonnay with white peach, apricot, ginger, nutty yeast lees and spicy oak flavours. Quite lush but with a fine tannic backbone that prevents any sense of cloying. Accessible and inviting." (2021 vintage)
James Suckling "This has toasted bread, cashew and biscuit notes alongside poached pears, passion fruits and lemons. Creamy and round with a medium to full body and fresh finish. " (2021 vintage)
Micheal Cooper "The 2021 vintage is a distinctly cool-climate style, hand-picked at Bannockburn and Pisa, and fermented and matured for 10 months in French oak puncheons (20 per cent new). Bright yellow/green, with a strong, fresh, citrusy bouquet, it is full-bodied and youthful, with rich, citrusy, slightly appley flavours, gently seasoned with oak, lively acidity and a dry, finely poised finish.
Bob Campbell, The Real Review "Intense and textural chardonnay with toast, grapefruit-citrus, ginger, oyster shell, roasted nut and spicy oak flavours. Smooth-textured wine with good weight and mouth-feel. A very stylish wine that promises to age well." (2019 vintage)
New Zealand Wine Rater "Very much a clean, primary, new-world style bouq uet with tangy, tropical fruit, and bubble-gum aromas with a hint of cinnamon spice, and toasty oak. Quite potent, tasty, and concentrated with plenty of flavour, and vibrant lemon acidity but a little short, and one dimensional at the moment." (2019 vintage)
James Suckling "This has peach and pear aromas with some lemon, nougat and a hint of tropical fruit. The palate has melon and tropical-fruit flavors, as well as some more savory nougat" (2019 vintage)
Organic wines are made from grapes grown without pesticides, following strict organic standards. Organic wines are produced in vineyards that do not use synthetic chemicals. Certified organic wines have been certified by BioGro Organic certification in New Zealand.
Highly awarded and acclaimed, wine-maker Alan Peters-Oswald is a specialist premium pinot noir maker. The Central Otago wine region is the world's southern-most commercial wine-growing region, and famous for its Pinot Noir. It differs from all other New Zealand wine areas in that it is inland, in the foothills of the Southern Alps. The level of sunlight is very high, something that accounts for the high levels of alcohol that are often found in Central Otago wines.
Nestled within a timeless and sensual landscape, Nanny Goat Estate Vineyard sits between 270m and 290m above sea level spread across two ancient, North East facing terraces. This is a region of climatic extremes with typically very hot summers, short autumns and bitterly cold winter days. Challenging conditions for producing world-class cool climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Successive periods of glaciation and recession, followed by erosion by Mata Au / Clutha River have shaped the Nanny Goat Estate landscape by creating distinct terraces of alluvial soils that are pastiche of loess, gravel, schist and mineral quartz. Generations of farming and the associated cultivation of lucerne and other feed crops have added organic matter to the wind blowen loessial topsoil providing us with a nice balance between vine vigor and free draining attributes.
1 x Giant Steps ""Sexton Vineyard"" Chardonnay 2019 ~ Yarra Valley Australia
96/100 The Wine Front 95/100 James Suckling 93/100 Wine Spectator 92/100 Tom Cannavan 91/100 CellarTracker 17/20 Jancis Robinson
95/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage) 95/100 Gary Walsh (2018 vintage) 95/100 James Halliday (2018 vintage) 95/100 The Wine Front (2018 vintage) 94/100 Wine Enthusiast (2018 vintage) 93/100 Decanter (2018 vintage) 91/100 Wine Spectator (2018 vintage) 16.5/20 Jancis Robinson (2018 vintage)
James Suckling, "This has a savory, crushed stone edge to the nose with fresh pastry, as well as white peaches, lemon pastry and hazelnuts with honeysuckle and citrus blossom. The palate has an alluring density that holds very long into the peach, lemon and pastry-flavored finish. A spark of zesty lemon to close."
Tom Cannavan, "Some granite and ironstone influence on the clay loam soils here, the wine whole bunch pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in 500L French puncheons. Matured for 10 months in barrel (20% new) it did not go through malolactic and there was no batonnage. Very clean and mineral and fruit driven on the nose, the oak less prominent on this one. Very juicy and ripe in style, though the sharpness of the acid structure gives lovely focus, a rounding touch of barrel character easing the finish. Stylish."
James Suckling "A very attractive, succulent style with intense and energetic white-peach and lemon aromas and flavors. The drive and depth on the palate really impress here. Drink or hold. Screw cap." (2018 vintage)
James Halliday "...A wine with substance and depth, and a (non-residual sugar) touch of fruit sweetness...Identical vinification to its siblings, the intention to place all the emphasis on the site, including its micro-flora. I am confident that the individual personality of each sibling will express itself more and more over the next 2 years." (2018 vintage)
Gary Walsh "I think this was my favourite of the Chardonnay releases. A little struck match, melon, spiced oatmeal. Big flavour, powerful fruit... Such a good thing to drink." (2018 vintage)
Wine Enthusiast "Giant Steps owner Phil Sexton's self-named vineyard soars once again in this beautifully textured Chardonnay that is all at once modern and timeless. Take a deep dive into a nose of honeysuckle, lime leaf, salted cashew, waxy lemon and stony minerals. Then let the liquid roll around on your tongue, pricking it gently with crystalline acidity. Complex and ageworthy yet totally approachable now, this is the face of today's Aussie Chardonnay, and it's a mighty fine one.” (2018 vintage)
Decanter "There is incredible depth of quality in Yarra Chardonnay: Mount Mary, Mac Forbes, TarraWarra, Yabby Lake, Yarra Yering, Soumah, Santolin… Giant Steps vinifies all its four fab single-vineyard wines the same way (wild-yeast, 20% new puncheons, lees stirring, eight months’ ageing). This is broad, juicy and rich with peach and orange flavours, direct acidity and creamy oak spice." (2018 vintage)
Giant Steps is a privately owned, estate based, Yarra Valley grower and winemaker. Giant Steps has forged a reputation for delivering some of Australia’s most consistent, over-performing, varietal wines. These wines have received global acclaim and established a strong reputation in restaurants and fine wine stores around the world.
Since 2003 Giant Steps wines have collectively been awarded 19 trophies and over 50 gold medals at major international and domestic wine shows, and has been named one of the Top 100 Wineries in the World by Wine & Spirits Magazine, US for each of the last three years. Owner Phil Sexton came to wine via beer. He started Little Creatures, a favourite of Aussie hopheads, in Perth (Western Australia). Winemaker Steve Flamsteed works exclusively on Giant Steps single vineyard wines. Yarra Valley is a region with a cool climate, best known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Yarra Valley is an hour’s drive east of Melbourne. Located on the steep north facing slopes of the Warramate Ranges, alongside the vineyards of Yarra Yering and Coldstream Hills, the Sexton vineyard is exposed and demanding.
Being on the higher slopes, topsoil is thin and root systems have established themselves in shallow gravelly loams above a tough rocky clay base. Bunch yields set naturally low in this environment, facilitating a low intervention approach to what is otherwise hand tended viticulture. Biodynamic vineyard management principles are being introduced with the purpose of further distinguishing the site and improving grape and wine quality.
1 x Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2019 - Victoria, Australia
93/100 The Wine Front 92/100 Halliday Wine Companion 90/100 The Real Review 91/100 Toni Paterson MW (2018 vintage) 91/100 Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine (2018 vintage) 96/100 GOLD James Halliday (2017 vintage) 95/200 Jeremy Oliver (2017 vintage) 92/100 The Wine Front (2017 vintage)
Four Stars - Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine (2018 vintage) Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2010 vintage) Bronze - Decanter World Wine Awards (2008 vintage) Silver - Decanter World Wine Awards (2009 vintage)
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
The Wine Front "Very Nice Chardonnay....Refreshing for sure. Good detail.... It does struck match and flint, it does citrus and green apple, some spicy oak there, it does a slightly rubbery tightness and a milky haze in texture through glass shard cuts. It’s a wine that feels primped and preened into its style of racy, leaner, taut, rather than reflecting inherent fruit character, but in that way hits its markers and will delight an audience of appreciative drinkers...."
Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion "No single-block wines this vintage, with all fruit allocated to the single-vineyard wines across the range. This has morphed into a more savoury wine with almost a complete absence of fruit flavours, except for a flutter of citrus. It has the sulphide stamp, the restraint yet even tighter with acidity leading. A hint of beeswax, just the finest creamy leesy flavour....don't chill it down too much."
The Real Review "palate is restrained, lean and high-tensioned. Enjoy with food."
The Winemaker "Defined by its fresh, citrus blossom aromatic lift and precise long, lingering finish. Characteristic pure and intense aroma. The palate is poised and complex, with layered fruit flavours. Tightly wound together with a precise minerality, the wine has beautiful line and length."
Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine “Elegant and beautifully balanced.....Opens with spicy cracked black pepper and bright notes of freshly picked blackberries. Plush and open with lovely freshness and vibrancy offering attractive fruit purity and peppery complexity....combines black cherry aromas with oak spices and a subtle touch of whole-bunch fragrance. There’s supple flesh on the palate with plenty of balanced tannin.” (2018 vintage)
The Winemaker "A perfumed and spicy Syrah, medium-bodied in style. The palate is concentrated and silky, with finely structured tannins, bright fruit characters, wonderful elegance and depth. Aged for 11 months in French oak. Stored carefully, this wine will age gracefully for ten years. " (2018 vintage)
Australian Wine Companion "This is another fantastic release under this label. Garden herbs, nuts, twigs and spice notes blend seamlessly with red and black cherries, licorice and wood smoke. Flamboyance is its middle name, but it has the discipline to make the most of it." (2017 vintage)
Yabby Lake Vineyard was established by the Kirby family in 1998 and over the past decade, Yabby Lake has built a reputation for single-vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of great purity and character.
James Halliday "This high-profile wine business was established by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. In 1998 they established Yabby Lake Vineyard, under the direction of vineyard manager Keith Harris; the vineyard is on a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is the 25ha of pinot noir, 14ha of chardonnay and 8ha of pinot gris; 3h of shiraz, merlot and sauvignon blanc take a back seat. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as Group Winemaker has added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning Pinot Noir in 2014, and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots."
Led by Tom Carson "one of Australia's most lauded winemakers" so cites Huon Hooke of the Real Review. Under Carson's direction, Yabby Lake's philosophy is to craft wines representative of their site and their season in which they were grown. Yabby Lake believe it’s this attention and care in the vineyard that is most critical to allowing this expression.
Huon Hooke "One of Carson’s biggest moments was winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy [Australia's most prestigious winemaker accolade] with his 2012 Block 1 Pinot Noir – the first pinot ever to win this coveted award."
Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria's most important Australian wine regions, located an hour's drive south of Melbourne on the southern coast of Australia. It is one of Australia's coolest winegrowing regions and produces elegant Chardonnay and internationally award-winning Pinot Noir wines, and gaining a reputation for its quality medium-bodied, peppery shiraz.
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular grapes, Chardonnay is made in a wide range of styles from lean, to rich, creamy white wines aged in oak. Bolder, richer, full-bodied and buttery Chardonnays are made using oak and are produced in California, Burgundy, and Australia. Unoaked chardonnays such as Chablis and those produced in Chile, New Zealand, and other parts of France are leaner and often crisp and mineraly, with delicate flavors. By law, if a label says “Chablis,” it must be Chardonnay.
1 x Man O' War Valhalla Chardonnay 2020 ~ Waiheke Island, New Zealand
95/100 Cam Douglas MS 94/100 The Real Review, Bob Campbell 94/100 James Suckling 93/100 The Real Review, Stephen Wong 93/100 The Real Review, Bob Campbell 95/100 The Real Review, Bob Campbell (2019 vintage) 94/100 Cam Douglas MS (2019 vintage) 95/100 The Real Review, Bob Campbell (2018 vintage) 92/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage) 90/100 Cam Douglas MS (2018 vintage) 17.5/20 Jancis Robinson (2018 vintage)
Ranked #4 of New Zealand Chardonnays - Wine 360 5 Star Rated by Bob Campbell
Cam Douglas MS "A full-bodied, nutty, rich and powerful wine with a core of roasted stone fruit and toasty cashew-nut oak flavours, fine textured tannins and a brazil-nut butter texture. Baked peaches and lemon, nectarine skin and grapefruit. There’s vanilla and nut, warming alcohol and medium+ acidity. A wine that ticks all the boxes of weight and intensity, richness and power, flavour and deliciousness. "
The Real Review, Bob Campbell "Big, rich and creamy chardonnay with layers of tree fruit, citrus fruit, mineral and oak flavours. Complex, satisfying and generously proportioned, with a solid backbone of tangy acid and peppery tannins. An heroic chardonnay with development potential."
James Suckling "A crisp and very lively chardonnay with sliced lemon, green apple and a hint of nougat. Medium-bodied with excellent energy and a minerally finish. Salty."
The Real Review, Stephen Wong "Tight, flinty sulfide/smoke nose, young, closed. Very high-toned citrus and herb notes - in the reductive, mineral style. Concentrated fruit, sulfites dominating at present, will this integrate over time? Very modern style, quite lean. Just lacking the fruit weight and depth to stand up the level of reduction here; still very good, but shy of great"
The Real Review, Bob Campbell "Light, slightly phenolic (in a good way) with grapefruit, sizzled butter, and oyster shell flavours. A bit simple at first but opened up as it sat in the glass."
The Real Review, Bob Campbell "Rich, complex chardonnay with grapefruit, nectarine, green apple, mint and a saline-mineral character.A lively, high-energy wine that promises to age very well indeed." (2019 vintage)
Cam Douglas MS "A rich and captivating bouquet with aromas of vanilla and roasted peach, baked apple and cashew nut, sour cream and burnt butter, nectarine and baking spice. There's no mistaking the power, the oak and the variety. Full-bodied and creamy textured on the palate with stone fruit and grapefruit flavours, vanilla and rw sugar with baking spice and smoke flavours of oak, fine tannins and mediumacidity. This is a big wine, but very well made, quite serious , rich, bold, nutty and ready." (2019 vintage)
Bob Campbell "Rich, weighty, creamy-textured chardonnay with toast, sizzled butter, peach, melon, spice and citrus flavours (among others). A satisfyingly complex and textural wine that demonstrate impressive viticultural and winemaking skills" (2018 vintage)
James Suckling "Sweetly floral and offering a wealth of fresh melon and peaches with orange blossom, too. The palate has a rich, fleshy and quite succulent feel with plenty of flavor, following the peach and lemon vein. Grilled nuts to close." (2018 vintage)
Cam Douglas "There’s no mistaking the power and impact from this wine with aromas of cashew nut and whipped cream, roasted peaches and vanilla, smoky wood and brown baking spices. On the palate - full-bodied with a creamy texture, fruity reflecting the aromas from the bouquet. With the presented level of bottle-development, this wine is ready to enjoy from today and through 2021." (2018 vintage)
Jancis Robinson "...this is proper premier cru stuff, with all the sophistication and minerality (whatever that might be!) of great Chardonnay." (2018 vintage)
The Winemaker "The palate is concentrated with waves of harmonious flavours of ripe citrus, flinty lees characters and nutty, toasty flavours. The acidity is well-matched with the weight and concentration of the wine, rich enough not to be distracted by any malo or heavy lees work."
Raymond Chan "The nose is softly full and voluminous with generous and up-front aromas of ripe yellow stonefruits along with nuances of citrus and tropical fruit melded with well-packed complexing aromas of gunflint reduction, creamy barrel-ferment and nutty oak. This has depth and power. Medium-full bodied, the palate has rich and mouth-filling flavours of ripe yellow stonefruits with hints of citrus and tropical fruit, integrated with a fine, complex amalgam of nutty oak and flinty reduction. There is a suggestion of richness and creaminess from the barrel-ferment, which is balanced by bright, refreshing acidity. The wine carries with power and drives along a fine-textured line, leading to a long and sustained finish. This is a rich, mouth-filling and concentrated, complex Chardonnay with stonefruit, nutty oak and gunflint interest on a powerful palate. Match with poultry, pork and veal dishes over the next 5-6+ years. A selection of the finest barrels. Fruit from the volcanic hillsides WBP, and fruit from the sheltered hillsides foot-stomped, then fully indigenous yeast barrel-fermented with full solids to 14.0% alc., the wine aged 11 months in 36% new French oak puncheons.." (2017 vintage)
Robert Parker The Wine Advocate "Man O’ War is without a doubt one of New Zealand’s greatest wineries in the making and one to watch."
Jancis Robinson “Waiheke Island, home to one of the country’s best Syrah producers Man O’ War…New Zealand is second only to the Rhône in the consistency of quality it achieves.”
Raymond Chan "Man O’ War is arguably Waiheke Island’s most significant wine producer.."
Man O'War Vineyards is a leading New Zealand wine producer on Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf. It is known for its consistently high-quality range of wines made from grape varieties like Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Each small parcel of vines is carefully tended and harvested by hand, then vinified separately, fusing classic Old World techniques with innovative New World ideas.
Waiheke Island is a wine-producing region just 18km east of Auckland city. This hilly island is home to a healthy population of hippies and artists, as well as some of Auckland's most famous vineyards. Waiheke Island's specialty is elegant Bordeaux Blend wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but Syrah and Chardonnay are also important grape varieties planted here.
Chardonnay is one of the world’s most popular grapes, Chardonnay is made in a wide range of styles from lean, to rich, creamy white wines aged in oak. Bolder, richer, full-bodied and buttery Chardonnays are made using oak and are produced in California, Burgundy, and Australia. Unoaked chardonnays such as Chablis and those produced in Chile, New Zealand, and other parts of France are leaner and often crisp and mineraly, with delicate flavors. By law, if a label says “Chablis,” it must be Chardonnay.
1 x Dog Point Chardonnay (Organic) 2019 ~ Marlborough, New Zealand
96/100 & 5 Stars Bob Campbell MW 95/100 James Suckling 94/100 Cameron Douglas 94/100 Gary Walsh 93/100 Vinous Bronze - CellarTracker 93/100 Wine Spectator (2018 vintage) Bronze - CellarTracker (2018 vintage) 93/100 Tom Cannavan (2017 vintage) 18/20 Vinum Wine Magazine (2017 vintage) 91/100 Wine Spectator (2016 vintage) 17/20 Vinum Wine Magazine (2016 vintage) 95/100 The Wine Front (2015 vintage) 93/100 Robert Parker (2015 vintage) 93/100 Tim Atkin (2015 vintage) 92/100 Wines & Spirits (2015 vintage) 92/100 Jasper Morris - Inside Burgndy (2015 vintage) 91/100 Decanter (2015 vintage)
5 Stars - Michael Coopers
Organic
Bob Campbell MW "Seductive chardonnay with white peach, citrus, grapefruit, oyster-shell and subtle spicy oak underpinned by delicious acidity. Intense wine with a lengthy finish."
James Suckling "Smoke, hay, dried mango, preserved lemon and buttered toast on the nose. Full-bodied with sharp acidity and a phenolic texture. Tight, concentrated and long."
Michael Cooper "This classy wine is estate-grown and hand-harvested on the south side of the Wairau Valley, fermented and matured for 18 months in French oak barriques (10 per cent new in 2019), and given a full, softening malolactic fermentation. The 2019 vintage is bright, light yellow/green, with a fragrant bouquet. Full-bodied, it is still very fresh and youthful, with concentrated, ripe stonefruit flavours, hints of toast and butterscotch, lively acidity, and impressive vigour and length. Certified organic."
Gary Walsh, The Wine Front "Intense sort of Chardonnay here, kind of like sticking your head out of a car window while driving at 110 km/h, which I’m sure is also the sort of thing that a dog would love too. Plenty of struck match, pink grapefruit, oatmeal and bran, BBQ chicken, guava and spice. And more, but that’ll do for now. Tight and tangy, but also bold and packed with flavour, biscuit oak, a mix of ripe lime and stone fruit, flint and funk, and a mouth-watering finish of excellent length and energy. Really very good."
Cameron Douglas MS "Alluring scents of ripe citrus and apple, peach, quince and a touch of golden kiwifruit followed by spices and mild toasty barrel layers, vanilla and raw sugar then a gun-flint soil complexity. On the palate – youthful and vibrant with layers of barrel spice and wood underpinning flavours of stone fruit and citrus reflecting the bouquet. Fine wood tannins, medium+ acidity, knocking on the door of full-bodied and a satin texture showcases both this wines deliciousness now, potential for cellaring and readiness for food."
Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous "The 2019 Dog Point is one hell of a mouthful of a Chardonnay with its full-bodied, concentrated, vanilla-infused core, offering density and richness of white stone fruit and oak-derived grilled nut and bacon flavors. It would be difficult to call this wine subtle, but what it lacks in demureness, it makes up for in impressiveness. Hailing from Marlborough, its volume is kept in check by natural acidity, creating a fine, precise and lengthy finish."
Tasting Note "Dog Point Chardonnay 2019 is a very young aromatic white. On the nose there are smoky notes, hay, dried mango and lemon. The palate is crisp and tight. Concentrated and long, with strong (but very pleasant) citrus. Full-bodied."
Oz Wine Review 2019 “Part of the secret to this label’s success is the Dog Point Vineyard itself, which is one of the oldest privately owned vineyards in Marlborough. Planted by Ivan and Margaret Sutherland back in the late 1970s, it remains not only the backbone of the Dog Point label but also a key source of fruit for a whole swathe of premium Marlborough producers.”
Robert Parker "...Zesty and refreshing, with a long, mouthwatering finish, this is a compelling example of Marlborough Chardonnay....The 2015 Chardonnay is a smoky, toasty, medium to full-bodied effort marked by a terrific acid line. That grapefruit note provides the backbone over which riper notions of white peach, toasted hazelnut and pineapple rest. " (2015 vintage)
Wines & Spirits "What’s great about this wine is its ability to maintain its size and scope without the flavors becoming overbearing. From vines planted in 1981, this wine ferments in French oak (15 percent new), and integrates the wood notes into the fruit seamlessly. It’s a full-bodied wine that moves well, with notes of chamomile, ripe lemon and raw hazelnuts tethered to breezy acidity. It has lively energy and will cellar well for up to five years." (2015 vintage)
Tim Atkin "Not as well known as the Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc releases, but every bit as good in my opinion, this is frequently among my favourite South Island chardonnays. Toasty, savoury and enticing, it has citrus and beeswax notes supported by fresh, palate cleansing acidity and a nutty finish." (2015 vintage)
Tina Gellie "When Cloudy Bay was bought by LVMH, viticulturalist Ivan Sutherland and oenologist James Healy left to start Dog Point. Aromas of white peach an grapefruit with a firm citrus backbone, balanced by buttery oak. Intensely flavoured white to enjoy with fish." (2015 vintage)
Decanter "Aromas of white peach and grapefruit with a firm citrus backbone, balanced by buttery oak. Intensely flavoured white to enjoy with fish." (2015 vintage)
The Real Review "Dog Point Vineyard, one of Marlborough’s brightest stars." (2015 vintage)
Organic wines are made from grapes grown without pesticides, following strict organic standards. Organic wines are produced in vineyards that do not use synthetic chemicals.Certified organic wines have been certified by Biogro New Zealand.
Dog Point is one of New Zealand's most loved wineries formed by famous Cloudy Bay's wineries former viticulturalist and winemaker Ivan Sutherland and James Healy. Some years ago they decided to go out on their own creating Dog Point. Dog Point vineyards are some of the earliest vineyards to be planted in Marlborough and have some of the oldest vines in the region. Dog Point is named for the sheep-herding history of the area.
Organic philosophies drive Dog Point's approach to wine growing and in March 2012, 150 hectares of Vineyards were certified organic by BioGro New Zealand, with another 60 hectares certified as C1 (2 years in conversion). A flock of around 2,000 sheep including Romney, Perendale Cross and Merino Wiltshire Cross are grazed in the winter to keep the grass low and fertilise as they go.
