2023 Penfolds Max's Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills

Penfolds Max's Chardonnay from the Adelaide Hills is a polished, modern expression of cool-climate Chardonnay with roots in a story of innovation. The wine pays homage to Max Schubert, Penfolds' first Chief Winemaker and the creator of Grange, who pushed boundaries in Australian winemaking during the 1950s and beyond. The Max’s range reflects his bold legacy, crafted with accessibility in mind, but without compromising character or depth.

The Adelaide Hills is one of Australia’s premier regions for Chardonnay, offering altitude, slope, and a climate influenced by ocean breezes. The fruit for Max’s Chardonnay is selected from a range of vineyards across the Hills, including sites in Woodside, Piccadilly, and Lenswood. These areas are known for their slow, even ripening, which is crucial to preserving natural acidity and aromatic delicacy in white wines.

The winemaking approach at Penfolds blends precision with layered complexity. After gentle pressing, the juice is cold-settled and then fermented in a combination of seasoned French oak barrels and stainless steel tanks. 20 to 30 percent of the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation to soften the acid line and add creamy richness, while the rest retains bright citrus and mineral focus. A period of maturation on lees with gentle stirring develops mid-palate texture, while preserving tension and freshness.

In the glass, it shines with pale straw colour and green tints. Aromatically, it’s finely detailed: white nectarine, lemon curd, grapefruit zest and hints of jasmine are wrapped around more savoury notes of grilled hazelnut, oatmeal and flint. The palate has beautiful line and length, offering juicy stone fruit at the core with restrained oak influence, hints of brioche, cashew and a lingering saline finish. It’s complex, but not heavy, always leaning into elegance and balance.

Food-wise, it’s a brilliant match for grilled lobster, roast chicken with preserved lemon and thyme, or a salad of warm goat cheese, fig and walnut. The wine drinks well on release, but with its structure and acidity, it will also evolve gracefully over the next 5 to 7 years, gaining honeyed and toasty notes.