2022 Crittenden Peninsula Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula

Crittenden was established in Dromana in 1982 by Garry Crittenden — at a time when planting those first vines effectively doubled the total vineyard area on the Mornington Peninsula. His son Rollo returned home after years making wine abroad and now leads the winemaking, bringing a broader perspective to a place he knows intimately. The Dromana vineyard is farmed sustainably without synthetic inputs, with a focus on building natural resilience in the vines over time.

The Peninsula Chardonnay draws from selected grower vineyards across the Mornington Peninsula, fermented in a mix of wild and cultured yeasts in French oak with time on lees to build texture.

The 2022 is a cool-climate Chardonnay in the true sense: fresh and bright, with citrus, stone fruit and a herbal, sea-spray freshness that reflects the season. Lemon, grapefruit and peach on the nose with subtle oak and a flinty, mineral edge. The palate is clean and lively with good acidity and a light, dry finish.

Grilled salmon with lemon butter and capers; a simple chicken salad with herbs and a mustard dressing; or steamed mussels with white wine and cream. The wine's citrus freshness is easy company for anything light and clean.

Straightforward and enjoyable, this is wine for today rather than the cellar.