2023 Plantagenet Wyjup Chardonnay, Great Southern

Plantagenet Wyjup Chardonnay from Great Southern is a beautifully crafted, single-vineyard wine that showcases the elegance, power, and precision possible in Western Australia’s cool-climate south. Sourced from the Wyjup Vineyard, the original site established by Plantagenet’s founder Tony Smith in 1968, this wine represents the pinnacle of the estate’s Chardonnay expression—an exceptional combination of site, heritage, and winemaking finesse.

The Great Southern region, and particularly the Mount Barker subregion where Wyjup sits, offers ideal conditions for Chardonnay. The vineyard’s elevation, gravelly loam soils, and proximity to the Southern Ocean all contribute to a long growing season, producing fruit with pristine acidity, complex flavour development, and a distinctive mineral edge.

Winemaker Mike Garland leads the charge at Plantagenet, with a deep respect for the vineyard and a restrained, thoughtful approach in the winery. Grapes are hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed, and wild fermented in French oak barrels (typically around 30 to 40 percent new). The wine undergoes extended lees aging with regular bâtonnage to build texture and depth, and a portion is allowed to complete malolactic fermentation, depending on the vintage.

In the glass, Wyjup Chardonnay is intense yet refined, with aromas of white peach, lemon curd, roasted cashew, struck flint, and hints of wet stone. The palate is layered and focused, offering citrus and stone fruit purity framed by toasty oak, creamy lees character, and a long, saline finish that reflects its cool-climate origins.

This is a world-class Australian Chardonnay with both power and grace—built to evolve beautifully over time or to impress right now with rich seafood, poultry, or roasted vegetable dishes.