Australian Chardonnay Retrospective – 11 September 2026
Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2026 3:59 pm
G’day
I attended the Australian Chardonnay Retrospective at Lamonts in Cottesloe (Perth) last night. It was hosted by the inimitable Leigh Gerreyn, one of the more knowledgeable people about wine that I know, and a self-professed chardonnay fanatic. Leigh has hosted a number of these events now, and I rarely miss the opportunity.
Three regions were represented among the 14 wines presented – Margaret River, Beechworth and Yarra Valley. I think most people would agree that the wines shown were in the top echelon of Australian producers. The ‘retrospective’ part involved having two wines from each producer – the first from the 2023 vintage and the second from 2013. The identity of each 2023 wine was known, however, the 2013s were not. The wines were not tasted in the order they are listed here.
Lamonts provided a delicious four course menu to accompany the wines.
Fraser Gallop Estate ‘Parterre’ Chardonnay 2023 (Margaret River, W.A.): Not the flagship in Fraser Gallop’s chardonnay range (that’s the Palladian), but a long-term favourite of Leigh’s (and mine). 100% Gin Gin clone, and the wine does not undergo malolactic conversion. Very pale lemon colour. The nose shows nectarine, grapefruit, cashew and some cedary oak. The palate is more citrus initially, with a little nectarine and peach emerging with time in the glass. High acid (some tasters found it overly acidic) with a hint of tannic grip, and good length.
Fraser Gallop Estate ‘Parterre’ Chardonnay 2013 (Margaret River, W.A.): Medium yellow in colour. A more savoury nose, with cashew, developed citrus and stone fruits. These flow through the palate, and there’s a slight grip or texture. Acid appears to have softened in comparison to the 2023, and the wine finishes reasonably long.
Vasse Felix ‘Heytesbury’ Chardonnay 2023 (Margaret River, W.A.): Pale yellow colour. There’s a mix of stone fruits (especially light peach), citrus and cedary oak that combine in almost even measure. The palate has a slight citrus emphasis (over the stone fruits). Quite high acid, and jut enough grip or texture. Considerable length, and all in balance.
Vasse Felix ‘Heytesbury’ Chardonnay 2013 (Margaret River, W.A.): Deep yellow but not into gold territory yet. A touch of flint initially. The nose is developing nicely, with cashew and stone fruits showing signs of maturity. The palate is full without being heavy. There’s lovely nectarine and yellow peach flavours, with freshening acid and a slightly grippy texture. Long finish and one of my wines of the tasting.
Xanadu Reserve Chardonnay 2023 (Margaret River, W.A.):Pale yellow colour. A richer nose than previous wines, with ripe stone fruits over salted lemons and cedary oak. The palate is ripe and full as well, with the preserved lemon and sea spray showing through with time in the glass. Acid was less prominent than on previous wines, although not soft. There’s considerable mouthfeel or texture and the wine has excellent length. Another of my favourites in this tasting.
Xanadu Reserve Chardonnay 2013 (Margaret River, W.A.): Yellow colour tending to gold, and the darkest wine of the tasting. A muted nose by comparison with surrounding wines, with savoury characters dominating the (diminishing) fruit. The palate has some thickness or cordial texture, with preserved lime over savoury oak. Medium to long finish. For me, it’s slightly past its prime, but others disagreed.
Leeuwin Estate ‘Art Series’ Chardonnay 2023 (Margaret River, W.A.): 100% Gin Gin clone and sees 100% new French oak. No malo. Very pale lemon colour, possibly the lightest of the tasting. The nose is concentrated, with citrus (especially grapefruit) to the fore. There’s noticeable cedary oak, and stone fruits are in the background. The palate is a mixture of citrus and light stone fruits in roughly equal proportions. There’s strong line of acid, and some texture or grip. Very long finish. Too young at this stage, and needs another 3-5 years to evolve.
Leeuwin Estate ‘Art Series’ Chardonnay 2013 (Margaret River, W.A.): Moderate yellow colour, light for a 13-year-old wine. Developed fruits on the nose, especially peach, and citrus has moved to the background. Supporting savoury oak. The palate has a hint of flint. Developed fruit flavours, clean acid and a very long finish.
Mount Mary Chardonnay 2023 (Yarra Valley, Victoria): Made up of several clones, mostly Burgundian, and sees no malo. Pale yellow colour. Attractive flint / struck match initially. The nose is savoury with cedary oak, and the fruit seemed to be in the background compared to previous wines. The palate is lively, with yellow and white peach, and nutty savoury characters matching the fruit intensity. Acid is relatively gentle, and there’s texture but different to the previous wines. Long finish.
Mount Mary Chardonnay 2013 (Yarra Valley, Victoria): Moderate yellow colour. A muted nose in comparison – savoury and fruit diminishing. Well developed on the palate, with plenty of grip and texture, and slightly astringent or bitter towards the (long) finish.
Giaconda Chardonnay 2023 (Beechworth, Victoria): Undergoes partial malo. Pale yellow colour. The nose opens with considerable struck match. It’ savoury, with cedary oak, cashew and some grapefruit. The palate is an even blend of fruit and savoury -grapefruit, lemon/lime, more oak, and reasonably high acidity. Long finish and probably needs more time to evolve.
Giaconda Chardonnay 2013 (Beechworth, Victoria): Medium yellow in colour. Ripe, developed peaches and nectarines alongside nutty oak. The palate also shows similarly ripe peach fruits, with some caramel and nutty notes. Very long finish and possibly at its peak.
Cullen ‘Kevin John’ Chardonnay 2023 (Margaret River, W.A.): These wines undergo full malo. Pale yellow in colour. Ripe peach and nectarine fruit and lots of it. There’s sufficient polished oak to match the fruit intensity. The palate reflects the nose, and there’s a lovely texture to the wine. Very long finish.
Cullen ‘Kevin John’ Chardonnay 2013 (Margaret River, W.A.): Moderate yellow colour. Slightly reductive nose. There’s peaches and developed citrus on the nose and more of the citrus on the palate. Oak has retreated somewhat. Freshening acid and the mouthfeel of a developed wine. Very long finish.
One of the objectives of the tasting was to show the wines in their youth, and as older wines. Comments were made at the start that upper-echelon Australian chardonnays such as these should all still be sound (if not singing) at 13 years of age. A couple of the wines definitely hit the high, but a couple also (to me, anyway) did not, and I may have preferred them a few years younger.
For those (possibly Eastern States) readers that complain that this tasting was W.A.-centric- well, we DO make the best chardonnays!
My compliments to Leigh for a professionally run tasting. I was going to say ‘never to be repeated’ but I am sure he will. Thanks also to Lamonts for hosting us and for their excellent food and service.
Cheers
Allan
I attended the Australian Chardonnay Retrospective at Lamonts in Cottesloe (Perth) last night. It was hosted by the inimitable Leigh Gerreyn, one of the more knowledgeable people about wine that I know, and a self-professed chardonnay fanatic. Leigh has hosted a number of these events now, and I rarely miss the opportunity.
Three regions were represented among the 14 wines presented – Margaret River, Beechworth and Yarra Valley. I think most people would agree that the wines shown were in the top echelon of Australian producers. The ‘retrospective’ part involved having two wines from each producer – the first from the 2023 vintage and the second from 2013. The identity of each 2023 wine was known, however, the 2013s were not. The wines were not tasted in the order they are listed here.
Lamonts provided a delicious four course menu to accompany the wines.
Fraser Gallop Estate ‘Parterre’ Chardonnay 2023 (Margaret River, W.A.): Not the flagship in Fraser Gallop’s chardonnay range (that’s the Palladian), but a long-term favourite of Leigh’s (and mine). 100% Gin Gin clone, and the wine does not undergo malolactic conversion. Very pale lemon colour. The nose shows nectarine, grapefruit, cashew and some cedary oak. The palate is more citrus initially, with a little nectarine and peach emerging with time in the glass. High acid (some tasters found it overly acidic) with a hint of tannic grip, and good length.
Fraser Gallop Estate ‘Parterre’ Chardonnay 2013 (Margaret River, W.A.): Medium yellow in colour. A more savoury nose, with cashew, developed citrus and stone fruits. These flow through the palate, and there’s a slight grip or texture. Acid appears to have softened in comparison to the 2023, and the wine finishes reasonably long.
Vasse Felix ‘Heytesbury’ Chardonnay 2023 (Margaret River, W.A.): Pale yellow colour. There’s a mix of stone fruits (especially light peach), citrus and cedary oak that combine in almost even measure. The palate has a slight citrus emphasis (over the stone fruits). Quite high acid, and jut enough grip or texture. Considerable length, and all in balance.
Vasse Felix ‘Heytesbury’ Chardonnay 2013 (Margaret River, W.A.): Deep yellow but not into gold territory yet. A touch of flint initially. The nose is developing nicely, with cashew and stone fruits showing signs of maturity. The palate is full without being heavy. There’s lovely nectarine and yellow peach flavours, with freshening acid and a slightly grippy texture. Long finish and one of my wines of the tasting.
Xanadu Reserve Chardonnay 2023 (Margaret River, W.A.):Pale yellow colour. A richer nose than previous wines, with ripe stone fruits over salted lemons and cedary oak. The palate is ripe and full as well, with the preserved lemon and sea spray showing through with time in the glass. Acid was less prominent than on previous wines, although not soft. There’s considerable mouthfeel or texture and the wine has excellent length. Another of my favourites in this tasting.
Xanadu Reserve Chardonnay 2013 (Margaret River, W.A.): Yellow colour tending to gold, and the darkest wine of the tasting. A muted nose by comparison with surrounding wines, with savoury characters dominating the (diminishing) fruit. The palate has some thickness or cordial texture, with preserved lime over savoury oak. Medium to long finish. For me, it’s slightly past its prime, but others disagreed.
Leeuwin Estate ‘Art Series’ Chardonnay 2023 (Margaret River, W.A.): 100% Gin Gin clone and sees 100% new French oak. No malo. Very pale lemon colour, possibly the lightest of the tasting. The nose is concentrated, with citrus (especially grapefruit) to the fore. There’s noticeable cedary oak, and stone fruits are in the background. The palate is a mixture of citrus and light stone fruits in roughly equal proportions. There’s strong line of acid, and some texture or grip. Very long finish. Too young at this stage, and needs another 3-5 years to evolve.
Leeuwin Estate ‘Art Series’ Chardonnay 2013 (Margaret River, W.A.): Moderate yellow colour, light for a 13-year-old wine. Developed fruits on the nose, especially peach, and citrus has moved to the background. Supporting savoury oak. The palate has a hint of flint. Developed fruit flavours, clean acid and a very long finish.
Mount Mary Chardonnay 2023 (Yarra Valley, Victoria): Made up of several clones, mostly Burgundian, and sees no malo. Pale yellow colour. Attractive flint / struck match initially. The nose is savoury with cedary oak, and the fruit seemed to be in the background compared to previous wines. The palate is lively, with yellow and white peach, and nutty savoury characters matching the fruit intensity. Acid is relatively gentle, and there’s texture but different to the previous wines. Long finish.
Mount Mary Chardonnay 2013 (Yarra Valley, Victoria): Moderate yellow colour. A muted nose in comparison – savoury and fruit diminishing. Well developed on the palate, with plenty of grip and texture, and slightly astringent or bitter towards the (long) finish.
Giaconda Chardonnay 2023 (Beechworth, Victoria): Undergoes partial malo. Pale yellow colour. The nose opens with considerable struck match. It’ savoury, with cedary oak, cashew and some grapefruit. The palate is an even blend of fruit and savoury -grapefruit, lemon/lime, more oak, and reasonably high acidity. Long finish and probably needs more time to evolve.
Giaconda Chardonnay 2013 (Beechworth, Victoria): Medium yellow in colour. Ripe, developed peaches and nectarines alongside nutty oak. The palate also shows similarly ripe peach fruits, with some caramel and nutty notes. Very long finish and possibly at its peak.
Cullen ‘Kevin John’ Chardonnay 2023 (Margaret River, W.A.): These wines undergo full malo. Pale yellow in colour. Ripe peach and nectarine fruit and lots of it. There’s sufficient polished oak to match the fruit intensity. The palate reflects the nose, and there’s a lovely texture to the wine. Very long finish.
Cullen ‘Kevin John’ Chardonnay 2013 (Margaret River, W.A.): Moderate yellow colour. Slightly reductive nose. There’s peaches and developed citrus on the nose and more of the citrus on the palate. Oak has retreated somewhat. Freshening acid and the mouthfeel of a developed wine. Very long finish.
One of the objectives of the tasting was to show the wines in their youth, and as older wines. Comments were made at the start that upper-echelon Australian chardonnays such as these should all still be sound (if not singing) at 13 years of age. A couple of the wines definitely hit the high, but a couple also (to me, anyway) did not, and I may have preferred them a few years younger.
For those (possibly Eastern States) readers that complain that this tasting was W.A.-centric- well, we DO make the best chardonnays!
My compliments to Leigh for a professionally run tasting. I was going to say ‘never to be repeated’ but I am sure he will. Thanks also to Lamonts for hosting us and for their excellent food and service.
Cheers
Allan