Bright citrus, saline along with crisp acidity. Pale gold in colour. Ripe pear, stonefruit, citrus all jump from the glass. Medium bodied, lovely texture. Very drinkable!

Dog Point from Marlborough in New Zealand have quickly established themselves as quality Marlborough producers with their range of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. This Chardonnay has lovely texture due to lees stirring and balanced oak influence. Hints of citrus still remain to produce a Chardonnay of versatility.

Lightfoot & Sons Myrtle Point Vineyard is located in East Gippsland, Victoria, within view of the Gippsland Lakes. The 29Ha vineyard was planted between 1995-1997 by the Lightfoot family on their farm Myrtle Point. This Single Block Chardonnay was made from an outstanding parcel of fruit identified in Block 2 within the Lightfoot & Sons Myrtle Point Vineyard. The Block 2 Chardonnay develops exceptional concentration of flavour while retaining acidity. 100% Barrel fermentation with wild yeast resulted in a wine of great complexity, depth and texture.

Frogmore Creek is a superb cool-climate Chardonnay from Tasmania that shows stonefruit and citrus varietal aromas which are enhanced by quality oak. The palate is beautifully structured with tight natural acidity. A very complex and subtle style.

In the glass: Vibrant deep purple. On the nose: Blackberry, black cherry, plum, pepper and earth.On the palate: An elegant Gold medal winner with a velvety mouthfeel, intense and juicy layers of black fruits and peppery spice with seasoned oak and fine tannins.

A different expression altogether sans the benefit of bottle age. Youthful. Zesty. Punchy. As filigreed of talcy acidity and fine boned as the rest of the crew, this is guava, lemon grass and sherbet, teeming along a line of candied citrus chew. The wine will blossom in the medium term, but will not shy away from some aged furrows and complexity. Alcohol: 12%. Closure: screwcap. Date tasted: Jan 2018. Drink by: 2029. Price: $35. Rating: 94/100.

The Italian grape, Fiano, is one of Australia's key alternate grape varieties. It is perfectly suited to the climate of the Hunter Valley. An unwooded style, the wine has intense varietal characteristics with aromas of pear and spice. The palate is perfectly balanced between fruit intensity and textural elements from the solids ferment, with a brisk acidity. A food friendly wine ready for immediate enjoyment. A rising star of the Hunter.