The Lenton Brae Southside Chardonnay plays off the already established Wilyabrup Chardonnay with a fresh, vibrant feel to the wine. A cleansing line of acid is evident throughout the palate as is the textured mouthfeel courtesy of 'wild' primary fermentation and the addition of quality oak to the process. Designed to be enjoyed in its youth, this classic Margaret River Chardonnay will also enjoy some short to medium-term cellaring to coax out its true essence.

If you want to try the benchmark in this style then look no further than Pierro. A clean and concentrated palate of lemon sherbet and gooseberry with a hint of oak influence. LTC stands for 'little touch of Chardonnay' which adds the right amount of palate weight and complexity.

The defining Chardonnay of Vasse Felix. It is made from a selection of Chardonnay parcels from Vasse Felixs premier vineyards in a modern Margaret River style with elegance and fruit power. 96 Points | James Halliday.

The nose exhibits a delightful lifted bouquet which is quite flirty and floral. Cumquat zest with apple and strawberry blossom and a hint of beeswax co-mingle. Generous, round, very approachable palate. The natural citrus flavours of this variety come to the fore. The influence of the oak is very understated and is seen more in it’s addition of texture and complexity on the front and mid palate. But keeping the palate taught and with lovely drive is a salty / mineral acidity racing along the backbone of the wine. The finish is juicy, delicate and with a fun vibrant iLime Sherbert quality.

Winemaker notes Colour: Pale Gold Bouquet: Our Reserve Chardonnay has a bright and lifted nose of sweet pastry, lemon curd and fleshy white stonefruit. Palate: The palate displays a rich and layered mix of fresh stonefruit, citrus and intense vanilla bean flavours. A fine mineral thread ensures a wine of length and persistence. Viticulture The vineyard is planted on Karri loam gravel soils with underlying laterite. Vine rows run north south down a moderate north facing slope and are clone Gin-Gin with trellis structured to vertical shoot positioning. The vineyard is subject to the cool Southern Ocean breezes and ripens slowly, evenly and with naturally high acidity. Winemaking The fruit is handpicked then cooled before whole bunch pressing. New and seasoned barrels are filled directly from the press to enhance complexity. Only the free run fraction is reserved with harder pressings separated to ensure a delicate and fine expression of the fruit in this wine. The juice is left to ferment spontaneously and can take up to three weeks to ferment with some cooling at the height of ferment. After ferment the barrels are topped and gently stirred with inert gas protection monthly. A small number of barrels were encouraged to finish malolactic fermentation to ameliorate the natural acidity. After nine months in barrel the wine is assembled in tank and aged on lees to further encourage complexity.

This Margaret River classic has reached a beautifully rounded maturity, softening its initial power into pure elegance. The vibrant grapefruit and white stonefruit flavors have mellowed into a smooth, honeyed richness, perfectly complemented by a creamy cashew finish. It is silkier and more approachable than ever, a sophisticated, world-class white that feels luxurious and easy to drink right now.

This is a wonderfully concentrated wine. Complex on the nose with aromas of lemon, green apple and fig the palate shows lively flavours of citrus and melon and a beautifully textured crisp and long finish.

Kevin Cullen was a passionate believer in the quality of Margaret River as a wine region and particularly of its potential to become one of the great areas for both Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Here's his proof! [Biodynamic]