Riversdale Estate Crater Chardonnay 2021

White lilies, juiced lemons and nashi pear. Blue river stones struck against one and another, it’s so present you can almost hear it. Look, it’s hard not to get carried away when Chardonnay is this good! Pomelo pith, danish feta and polenta. The fruit feels perfectly ripe, like it took its time and unfurled when it was good and ready, no rush, just taking life day by day. It’s followed by a bath of natural acidity and a creaminess of butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Oak is of the classiest kind and harmonies like a choir. It’s delectable, lick the spatula clean. It’s that good! Drinking well now but will cellar upwards of 8 years. This would look like a beacon of hope sitting beside a pillowy bowl of mashed potatoes, ah yeah that’s it, just give the girl what she wants!

Shanteh Wale

Contributor at Wine Companion

Shanteh cut her teeth at Sydney’s Award-Winning Quay restaurant where she worked for over a decade and was Head Sommelier from 2018 till 2022. She has been nominated for the Good Food Guide Sommelier of the Year award on three occasions and claims that her experience as a Len Evans scholar as one of the highlights of her career. Shanteh hosts her own weekly podcast ‘Over A Glass’ with the Deep in the Weeds Network and spends her time writing for various publications and judging at numerous wine shows across the country.

Wine journalismpodcastinghost