Seven stellar chardonnays to try under $100

Did you know that chardonnay accounts for almost 50 per cent of white wine production in Australia? Originating in Burgundy, the first cuttings were brought to Australia in the 1830s, but it wasn't until the 1970s and 1980s that the grape really began to hit its stride down under.

So why is chardonnay so popular? Winemaker Bec Duffy of Holm Oak points to its versatility. "There are a lot of different styles, most regions do it well, and it matches well with a range of foods, but is also great to drink by itself." Darryl Catlin, winemaking consultant at Sidewood Estate, strongly agrees. "From buttery chardonnay through to unoaked, lean versions, chardonnay has a wide range of appeal. It is one of the few white varieties that has price points varying from under $10 to over $100, giving consumers a wide range of choice." 

The seven chardonnay wines below reflect that diversity. Ranging from $28 to $98, they come from regions including the Granite Belt, McLaren Vale, Margaret River, Tasmania, Adelaide Hills and the Yarra Valley. 

Below we spoke to the producers behind the wines – Balancing Heart, Chapel Hill, Driftwood Estate, Holm Oak, Sidewood Estate, Yering Station – about what makes their chardonnay unique, and how best to enjoy their expression. It won't be hard to enjoy these wines though. As Kane Grove of Driftwood Estate says, "Chardonnay tastes amazing! We'd be silly to love anything else."

Balancing Heart

Winemaker Mike Hayes says: The lure of competing against the world’s best, Burgundy, stirs the fire in the belly. Chardonnay is a cantankerous variety to grow, and its changing personality from year to year seduces me to no end.

H. What makes your chardonnay unique?
MH. Perched on the top of the Great Dividing Range on a south-westerly slope, our vineyard delivers two different flavour profiles – from the top of the hill and from the bottom section. Decomposed adamellite granite delivers gentle aromas, balancing the fruit weight to the natural acidity.

H. How do you approach the winemaking process?
MH. The true winemaker is Mother Nature, and the viticulturist is Mother Earth. In the vineyard we utilise arched cane pruning to allow better air flow and sunlight interaction. The vines are only fed with organic fertilisers, and we use sustainable practices in the growing stage. In the winery, indigenous yeast and minimal intervention.    

Wine to try

2023 Balancing Heart Aficionado Acclimatisation & Biomorphic Oaked Chardonnay

Best enjoyed: Steamed shellfish, sashimi, sushi, even pork tenderloin would suit. I would like to see barbecue barramundi with Tahitian lime combined with a tossed salad of rocket, pear and dragon fruit bathed in verjuice. The RIEDEL Pinot Noir glass is my choice, as it concentrates the aromas and delivers a better ortho-nasal experience. Serve it at 14ºC.

RRP $98 | Drink to 2033 | Shop this wine | balancingheart.com.au

Chapel Hill

Chief winemaker Michael Fragos says: Chardonnay is such an evocative variety. Our desire is to showcase chardonnay’s strengths of delicious mouthfeel, alluring texture and enduring length. Chardonnay possesses the unique ability to effortlessly incorporate nuanced winemaking complexity whilst still maintaining fruit purity and vitality. This ensures that the wines have both personality and poise.

H. What makes your chardonnay unique?
MF. The Vinedresser Chardonnay is a single-vineyard wine made from grapes harvested from vines that were planted in 1984. The Mendoza clone, the use of the free run juice component, natural fermentation, minimal additions, barrel fermentation and maturation in French oak for nine months results in a succulently textured chardonnay brimming with stone fruit, honey dew and fresh fig flavours.

H. How do you approach the winemaking process?
MF. At Chapel Hill, there exists a deep respect for our land and vines. Along with the rich history, this inspires the vision to hand-craft wines with purity and balance. All of the grapes and wines are handled gently in small batches to showcase the wonderful site and varietal characters of McLaren Vale.

Wine to try

2023 Chapel Hill The Vinedresser Chardonnay

Best enjoyed: This chardonnay is perfect for the warmer months and ideal for alfresco entertaining – whether accompanying a cheese platter or with barbecued fish or chicken. 

RRP $28 | Drink now | Shop this wine | chapelhillwine.com.au

Driftwood Estate

Senior winemaker Kane Grove says: Chardonnay is eclectic in its path from grape to bottle but is always sure to surprise, reveal and evoke the synchronicity of love for this amazing grape varietal.

H. What makes your chardonnay unique?
KG. There is no doubt that the little patch of vineyard that harbours our wonderful Single Site Chardonnay year in and year out has something truly special. You could discuss the following: soil, climate, location, aspect, row orientation, clone, or you could sum it all up in one word – terroir.

H. How do you approach the winemaking process?
KG. Treat the vineyard with love. Respect the fruit quality in the winery, emphasising fruit purity and expression of the site. Complement the fruit with the highest quality Burgundian French oak.

Wine to try

2023 Driftwood Estate Single Site Chardonnay

Best enjoyed: Slightly chilled at Christmas lunch with garlic butter sautéed crayfish and family and friends.

RRP $96 | Drink now | Shop this wine | driftwoodwines.com.au

Holm Oak

Winemaker Bec Duffy says: Some wines are made in the vineyard (riesling) and some are a collaboration (pinot noir), but I always refer to chardonnay as the winemaker's wine. As long as you start with good-quality fruit you really get to use a variety of winemaking techniques to craft the particular style you want to make.

H. What makes your chardonnay unique?
BD. Being in Tasmania, we get amazing natural acidity. Even though this chardonnay is a bigger, more complex style, the acidity our cool climate provides holds everything together.

H. How do you approach the winemaking process?
BD. This wine is an unashamedly more oak-driven style of wine, with a high percentage of mlf. It’s fully wild fermented in French oak barriques (utilising different Coopers to provide different characteristics) and remains in these barrels on lees for 10 months with occasional stirring.

Wine to try

2023 Holm Oak The Wizard Chardonnay

Best enjoyed: It’s my favourite white wine, so anywhere any time works for me. My guilty pleasure is a cold glass of chardonnay on a Friday afternoon with cheese and onion chips. However, I would also suggest serving it slightly warmer than fridge temperature in good quality glassware, with the perfect roast chicken and all the trimmings.

RRP $65 | Drink to 2030 | Shop this wine | holmoakvineyards.com.au

Sidewood Estate

Chief winemaking consultant Darryl Catlin says: I love chardonnay for its versatility and amazing power. It can be made in both oaked and unoaked form and it’s probably one of the most versatile white varieties which the Adelaide Hills does so well. The Mappinga vineyard grows A-grade chardonnay which makes the making of this wine so enjoyable. 

H. How did chardonnay become a key part of Sidewood's portfolio?
Owner Owen Inglis says: I have always loved chardonnay from Bourgogne so after buying the Mappinga Road vineyard in 2004 I planted Djion Clones B95 and 76. The rest is history, with Sidewood now having nine chardonnay clones in three of our vineyards.

Wines to try

2022 Sidewood Mappinga Chardonnay

H. What makes your chardonnay unique?
Chief winemaking consultant Darryl Catlin says: The Mappinga Chardonnay is unique in the fact that it contains a lot of power, that comes from the vineyard. It is fermented in French oak, which brings out the myriad of flavours, freshness and texture, making it such a delight to drink.

H. How do you approach the winemaking process?
DC. Picking at optimal ripeness and minimal intervention in the winemaking process helps elevate the flavours of the wine. We like to see acidity and power, which we achieve through careful barrel selection and blending, with only the best making the grade.

Best enjoyed: Best cold with friends and either on its own or with white meat dishes or a creamy garlic pasta.

RRP $45 | Drink to 2035 | Shop this wine | sidewood.com.au

2022 Sidewood Signature Owen's Chardonnay

H. What makes your chardonnay unique?
Chief winemaking consultant Darryl Catlin says: This chardonnay is unique for its lime and citrus acidity and texture. Unlike the Mappinga Chardonay, it relies more on the vineyard texture than oak in its display of power. 

H. How do you approach the winemaking process?
DC. The Mendoza clone, with its hen and chicken berries, relies on the optimal picking window to make sure we balance the fruit flavour with the grainy acidity. Once picked, a natural ferment on full solids ensures the best of the vineyard and its natural flora is displayed. The vintage will then determine how much malolactic fermentation will take place before maturing in large French oak barrels.  

Best enjoyed: This is more of an appetitive style of wine that commands food with acidity and spice. It would suit a number of Asian dishes.

RRP $70 | Drink to 2036 | Shop this wine | sidewood.com.au

Yering Station

Chief winemaker Brendan Hawker says: Chardonnay wines well made from a great site show power, density and complexity, whilst also being fresh and energetic. The grape is the full package!

H. What makes your chardonnay unique?
BH. I believe we do an excellent job of finding a balance in our blend of generous white stone fruits and citrus fruit flavours with restraint and tension across the palate. All vineyard-driven.

H. How do you approach the winemaking process?
BH. Hand-harvested fruit is whole-bunch pressed with a decent portion of harder pressings included. The juice, with zero sulfur, is then racked with all but the heaviest solids into 500L French oak barrels for a wild ferment in our cool barrel cellar. We generally make our first sulfur addition once the wine is dry, avoiding mlf, and then it'll mature in barrel on gross lees for a further 10 months prior to blending.

Wine to try

2023 Yering Station Chardonnay

Best enjoyed: Not too cold! Around 10–13ºC, and with some delicious barbecue prawns and crayfish for Christmas lunch.

RRP $40 | Drink to 2031 | Shop this wine | yering.com

Top image credit: Sidewood Estate.