2022 Xanadu Chardonnay

At first, this offers hedonistic pleasure as it’s supple and inviting with layers of flavour deep and rich. It’s savoury and quite plush with lots of texture via cashew-like creamy lees, but it’s also not overworked. It has restraint and detail. There’s a superfine line of acidity keeping all elements in their place, stitching them together harmoniously.

James Halliday Australian Chardonnay and Cabernet Challenge

Most of the fruit for this fine Margaret River Chardonnay, all from the gin-gin clone, is from the Wallcliffe sub-region. Whole bunch pressing, barrel fermentation in French oak barriques (25%) and nine months oak maturation. This is an attractive and classy Chardonnay. Pale green/gold hue, there are citrus notes, with spices and a wet slate backing. Hints of the tropicals, though at all times, refined and elegant. Oatmeal characters emerge on the palate. There is great length here and fine balance. Enjoy it any time from now for the next eight years. A cracker.

Pear, lime rind, some creamy and spicy oak. It’s juicy and full of ripe lime and white peach, cashew cream, a nice flinty grip, has a fair volume of flavour and presence on the mid-palate, and vanilla laced finish of sweetness and good length. albeit a little rugged and slightly breathy. A real crowd-pleasing Margaret River style.

Pale lemon-yellow colour. Grapefruit and struck-flint aromas. Palate is very tight, grapefruit pith and flinty minerality with underlying smoked oyster characters. A powerful wine but sits in a narrow channel that is tightly focused by the acidity. Will build weight with time.

Class 2 Chardonnay, 2023 Perth Royal Awards