Aussie Whites

Award winning Chardonnay, 94 Points from James Halliday and Trophy at the International Cool Climate Wine Awards

The Yarra Valley is possibly the ultimate region in Australia for growing Chardonnay. Add to that reputation Soumah's definitive vineyard site planted with the very finest clones and you have the perfect recipe for a modern age, premium Chardonnay.

97 Points – James Suckling

This is a very attractive and deceptively powerful chardonnay from a high-altitude site (500m) and one that delivers a latent, smouldering depth on the nose. Toasty, hazelnut-like oak breathes up through flinty complexity and a wealth of white peaches, melon, limes and grapefruit. The palate's super taut, really succulent and powerful, holding this thing tight for start to finish. Electrifying tension to this wine; new heights have been reached. Drink now to 2020+. 180 dozen produced.

95 Points - James Halliday

Hand-picked, wild-fermented, matured in French oak for 10 months. Doesn't disavow its paternity indeed it embraces it with fruit, oak and acidity in a fluid line; flavours of stone fruit, fig and citrus each make their contribution, again respecting each others importance.

97 Points - James Halliday

The colour is still a pale quartz-green, the freshness excellent; the most remarkable part of this wine is its combination of finesse, length and intensity of varietal fruit flavour, in turn based on the laser etching of Tasmanian acidity. The drink to date may prove conservative.

96 Points - James Halliday

Hand-picked and whole bunch-pressed in Tasmania, the unclarified juice chilled down and transported to Shaw + Smith's Adelaide Hills winery for mainly wild yeast fermentation in French oak (30% new) with a slow mlf (20%) during 10 months maturation. There is a deliberate touch of struck match, awesome layered fruit intensity and length is the X-factor which has devoured the oak.

One hundred per cent chardonnay, spending two years on tirage/yeast lees, the wine has abundant peachy fruit, indeed more than expected, even though it was early-picked. There won't be too many complaints about that flavour.

International Wine Challenge: Commended Winner 2012

96 Points - James Halliday

Light straw-green; a new level for Stella Bella, magically amplifying all the best features of the standard wine; all the standard top-end techniques are used for these two chardonnays, but it is how they are used that gives the finesse and purity both display.

Less intense than both the ’02 and ’07, however the palate is well-balanced on the entry with fine citrus lemon, grapefruit and just a hint of spice. Good weight and quite linear towards the finish but great persistency. Drinking now.