Chardonnay

From the cool seaside Mornington Peninsula to the warm hillsides of the Hunter Valley, Chardonnay is grown all over Australia. Each region offers subtle differences in flavour as variation in rainfall, temperature and soil influence how the grapes grow— the French call this Terroir, or a sense of place.

Back in the 90’s, Australian Chardonnay got a bad reputation for being overly oaky— winemakers went overboard with ageing wine exclusively in new oak barrels. Some even going as far as adding oak chips too artificially accelerate the ageing process.

Today, far more restraint is used when ageing in oak, winemakers are choosing to reuse older barrels that impart a more subtle flavour on the wine, and some are opting too forego oak altogether and age their wine in stainless steel tanks.

However you like your Chardonnay, Australia is home to some of the best in the world. From affordable everyday drinkers, to complex age-worth expressions, explore more below.