Rockbare Chardonnay Mclaren Vale 2010

Light straw-colored, it offers an attractive nose of pear, lemon-lime, and white peach. Medium-bodied, the mouth this supple-textured Chardonnay delivers mouth-filling poached pear and baked apple flavors, excellent depth and concentration, and a long, fruit-filled finish. It is an outstanding value.

This is one of the best Australian Chardonnays I've ever had! Not overloaded with the palate-tiring oak of many California Chards, the Rockbare is fresh, bursting with tropical fruits, and finishing smooth and buttery. This wine rolls across the tongue like a poem. Amazing!

The remarkable 2005 Chardonnay sells for a song. It sees about 40% malolactic and includes 13% Semillon in the blend. A flamboyant perfume of lemon blossom, flowers, orange marmalade, and white peaches is followed by a wine with great weight in the mouth, gorgeous acidity, beautiful freshness, and a long, heady finish. This terrific Chardonnay blew me away. It should drink well for 1-3 years.

Winemaker Tim Burvill, who trained with Southcorp, has fashioned a tropical fruit and hazelnut-scented 2003 Chardonnay with good ripeness, decent acidity, and an attractive, medium to full-bodied finish.

Stands apart from other Australian Chards for its restrained lemon and apple oriented flavors and an infusion of mineral and spice aromas that are reminiscent more of Chablis than anything from down under. Beautifully balanced acidity and texture keeps the wine poised on the palate, and makes this the most "food appropriate" Aussie Chard available.

The 2004 Chardonnay offers up beautiful honeyed peach, apple blossom, orange rind, and assorted citrus characteristics presented in a medium to full-bodied, fruity style revealing a discriminating use of new oak. It should drink well for another 2-3 years.

The 2002 Chardonnay is a brilliant example of an elegant, mineral-infused, citrusy (grapefruit, orange, and passion fruit), Chablis-styled white. Medium-bodied and restrained, yet displaying surprising flavor intensity, if tasted blind, it could be mistaken for a French premier or grand cru Chablis. Drink it over the next several years.