Juniper Cornerstone Karridale Chardonnay 2019

I do love a chardonnay, so was really excited to look at the new vintage of the Juniper Karridale. 2019 was a cooler vintage in Margaret River and you can see that in the white stone fruit notes and the fresh grapefruit acidity. There is a lovely mineral and saline note to the wine, supported by beautifully crafted oak spice and vanilla with a savoury and lemon pith texture through the palate. There is some roundness and weight on the mid palate on what is largely a leaner but not hard chardonnay style whereby the fruit is draped elegantly over the acid and oak. With texture and finesse, yet still a baby, this should round out nicely over time. 

Annette Lacey MW

Master of Wine at Solotel

Annette is currently the Group Beverage Manager for Solotel, a diverse hospitality group also having worked in some of Sydney’s finest restaurants as a sommelier including Banc, Claudes and Marque. She completed the rigorous Masters of Wine programme in 2020, was a professional winner in the 2014 Vin de Champagne Award, a Len Evans scholar and wine judge. She also is a fantastic communicator in wine and sprits including as a lecturer for the WSET.

Wine critic and Buyer