2023 Tyrrells Vat 47 Chardonnay, Hunter Valley

An established star in the Australian wine landscape, and rightly so, for its purity, complexity and power. Made from hand-picked grapes sourced entirely from the Short Flat vineyard, planted by Murray Tyrrell. The lemony fruit is intense and the palate is beautifully expansive, textural and deeply satisfying, with barely perceptible savoury winemaking details that embellish and enrich the wine without a shred of dominance. The flavours build to an impressive crescendo, finishing with remarkable purity, energy and deliciousness. An outstanding chardonnay – one of Australia's best. Pure class. Drink 2025-2035.

98 points, Special Value, Toni Paterson MW, Halliday Wine Companion, July 2025

Pale gold in the glass, with grapefruit zest and peach blossom over struck flint and almond oak, plus an appealing savoury note of steamed pork dumpling. Saline wet pebble notes underpin the generous but elegant fruit weight, with chalky acidity and phenolics bringing a savoury, complex edge. Still tightly coiled and ready to spring, with a long, long finish of nougat and pear drop minerality. Drink 2026-2036.

97 points Melissa Moore, The Real Review, January 2026

The 2023 Vat 47 Chardonnay is spicy and taut, with pineapple husk and white pepper, scratched lemon and pith, brine and chalk. The wine is tense and nervy at this stage, although the weight of the fruit sits at the back of the palate and draws out over the long finish. Chalky phenolics shape the finish. This is a really impressive wine here. It is gorgeous, saline and even a little febrile, but good for that. 13.5% alcohol's sealed under screw cap. Drink 2024-2043.

96 points Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate, August 2024

Extremely floral, with lavender, pears and stones on the nose. Medium-bodied with a superfine texture, phenolics and an extremely long and bright palate. Complex and subtle at the end with a hint of cloves. A sophisticated semillon. Drink or hold. 

96 points James Suckling, November 2024

An exceptional Vat 47, the fruit coming entirely from the Short Flat vineyard, which was planted by Murray Tyrrell in 1968, making it some of the oldest and most important Chardonnay plantings in the country. 2023 is proving to be an excellent vintage in the Hunter Valley. Fermentation was finished in French oak barriques before a further stint of maturation. The colour is very pale, almost a watery lemon hue. This is still youthful, but it has punch and precision. A Chardonnay of focus. The nose offers limes and lemons and stone fruit notes, with a touch of nutmeggy oak. The intensity never wavers and there is serious length here. Juicy acidity runs the length and hints of pink grapefruit emerge on the palate, towards the finish. There is already complexity evident here. This will provide pleasure for at least the next twelve years, longer if you’re patient. Drink 2025-2037

95 points Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot, November 2025

The Tyrrell’s Vat 47 Chardonnay comes entirely from the Short Flat Vineyard where the original Chardonnay vines were planted by Murray Tyrrell in 1968. It is a dry-grown vineyard at an elevation of roughly 110 meters with a mosaic of soil types.

The 2023 was relatively stress-free for most of the Hunter Valley, resulting in well balanced, complex wines with fruit purity. The fruit was immediately basket-pressed, then the juice was cold settled for two days before being racked to stainless steel tanks to begin fermentation. The fermenting juice was then transferred to French oak barriques to complete fermentation and maturation before bottling in October 2023.