Vasse Felix Premier Chardonnay 2024

Sourced off the “Premier” blocks.  Captures the intrinsic beauty and luscious appeal of the Gingin Chardonnay clone, Margaret River’s great contribution to the rise and rise of quality Australian Chardonnay. Gingin (90%) with a little help from Bernard Burgundy clones has flavour to burn and in a year like 2024, one of the warmest in memory in Margs, there is no shortage of sensational tastes to enjoy. Summer stone fruits, citrus, grapefruit pith, sea spray, savoury almond notes and toasted biscuit rise in a riveting aroma. This is one sun-kissed Chardonnay, approachable, charming, stylish. The palate is bright, flavoursome and almost exotic with its gingery edges surrounding a core of lemon and grapefruit citrus – including peel and pith – before it proceeds to build in white peach, quince, melon and an almond nuttiness with biscuity toast. A sprinkling of spice adds that little something extra, so, too, some tannin grip.  And, just so you know you are in Margaret River, a tell-tale saline beachy note closes the wine. Acidity is more than up to the task of holding sway over all of this superb flavour.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic