2023 Castelli Estate Il Liris Chardonnay, Denmark Great Southern

Il Liris is the flagship chardonnay for this estate, and this release looks and behaves as such. From the moment you put your nose in the glass, you know this is something a little more special and serious. Sweet peaches, nectarines and white florals open the show with an ode to green almond and cashew earthiness thereafter. It sees partial mlf, so expect a creamy mouthfeel, panna cotta and crème brûlée notes balanced with lemon curd, citrus zest and white florals. The flinty and chalky finale of struck match loops all elements together like a well-loomed tapestry. A beautifully made, opulent wine to toast with and mark special occasions. Drink 2025-2032.

96 points Katrina Butler for Halliday Wine Companion, January 2025

Il Liris is Castelli's flagship Chardonnay, produced in limited quantities from the estate vineyard on Mount Shadforth in Denmark. Three clones are planted across the block — Gin Gin, 95 and 96 — each contributing a distinct dimension to the final blend. The Gin Gin clone is the foundation of Western Australian Chardonnay and gives the wine a particular richness and stone fruit character that distinguishes it from cooler climate expressions elsewhere.

The approach in the winery is deliberately hands-off. Fruit is hand picked and whole bunch pressed directly to barrel without settling, wild yeast fermented with partial spontaneous malolactic fermentation, then nine months in French oak barriques before the wine is blended on lees in stainless steel for a further six months prior to bottling. The result is a wine with texture and depth that comes from the process rather than from heavy oak influence.

Pale gold, the nose is restrained and detailed with notes of fresh apricot, honeysuckle, buttered toast and a hint of marzipan. The palate is complex and elegant with green apple, pithy lemon zest and a creamy mid-palate, finishing long and focused.

This is as a wine that is likely to reward patience generously if you keep youir hands off it for a couple of years. There is plenty of track record for the better examples of Great Southern Chardonnay to stand proudly amongst Australia's finest ones.

Wines like this deserve good ingredients to be brought forward: scallops, crab, deep ocean fish. Choose preparation that matches the maturity of the wine: lively and fresh if opening early, mellow, elegant and a touch more subtle later on.

Drink now through 2033.