Patina Wines Orange Chardonnay 2019

The Patina vineyards are located in Orange at over 900m in altitude, and it shows in the wines with their delicacy and freshness. This wine is pale in colour and a little shy to start but once it gets going it has plenty to offer with its classic cool climate chardonnay characters of floral and citrus fruits with just ripe rockmelon that I so often see in the wines from Orange. There is good, spicy oak but it is hiding behind those layers of fruit with some praline barrel ferment – it’s really quite complex.

The palate is a bit richer – exotic guava and buttery fruits are driven by crisp acidity to a balanced and even pretty finish. There is some good quality to be had here in what is a modern Australian style of chardonnay. Drink it up with a prawn cocktail.