De la Beche 2025 Macedon Ranges Chardonnay

"This 2025 Macedon Ranges Chardonnay displays a rather restrained nose at first; a saline, marine coolness with a gentle waft of serious oak- and lees-derived toasted cereal, cinnamon scroll, and hazelnuts. Pretentious swirling starts to bring out a nose rather more reminiscent of Chassagne-Montrachet than Hautes-Cotes de Macedon: ripe pear, pithy pomelo/grapefruit, rosemary oil, and a deeper kind of minerality ... gunflint? 

The vine density is immediately apparent from the wine’s immense palate presence; this is an unashamedly compact, dense wine; very Chassagne! The texture is simply wonderful: a flash of pleasant bitterness melds into a moreish, mouth-wateringly salty-sweet finish. Ample but pleasantly restrained yellow orchard fruit, lees-derived toasted oats and fresh pastry, and a deep, powerful mineral note (flint again) which echoes the nose. There is then a steeliness which slowly drifts off into the long finish. 

This isn't trying to be anything else other than bloody brilliant Chardy." — Nick