2023 Moorooduc The Moorooduc McIntyre Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula

It comes out big, rich and ripe with so much flavour, unashamedly. Stone fruit and citrus. Spicy, sweet, cedary oak. Creamy, buttery with leesy lushness, lemon balm and more besides. It’s an intense chardonnay hit on a full-bodied palate, and yet the acidity keeps this juicy and buoyant. It’s very good, highly decadent and enjoyable.

95 points Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

At Moorooduc Estate, Chardonnay is approached with the same quiet seriousness and respect for place that has defined the McIntyre family’s work on the Mornington Peninsula for decades. Richard and Jill McIntyre were early pioneers in the region, establishing vineyards in the early 1980s when few believed the Peninsula could produce truly world class wines. The Moorooduc McIntyre Chardonnay sits at the pinnacle of their range, drawn from the estate’s most distinguished parcels and crafted with traditional techniques including wild fermentation and thoughtful oak maturation. The maritime climate and ancient soils help shape a wine of both generosity and tension, one built for longevity rather than fleeting charm.

A luminous pale gold colour signals depth and concentration. Aromas unfold slowly with white nectarine, preserved lemon and grapefruit layered over roasted hazelnut, nougat and a subtle flinty minerality. There is an understated power here that grows with air. The palate is beautifully sculpted and textural, stone fruit richness flowing across a creamy mid palate before tightening into a chalky, saline edged finish. Fine oak spice and bright natural acidity bring precision and drive, giving the wine remarkable persistence and quiet authority.

This is the kind of Chardonnay that deserves to be opened with intention. A proper decant, good glassware, perhaps something luxurious roasting gently in the kitchen while the evening settles in around you. It pairs effortlessly with lobster, roast chicken with truffle, seared scallops or aged hard cheeses. While already captivating, it will reward patience over ten to fifteen years as layers of honeyed toast, nutty complexity and savoury depth emerge. A benchmark Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay that confirms Moorooduc’s standing among Australia’s most serious cool climate producers.