2024 A. Rodda Smiths Chardonnay, Beechworth

A bit of a sleeper at first, with airy notes of flint, nutmeg and fennel coming to the fore. With a little more nudging, spiced stone-fruits and earthy wafts of fresh moss appear. The core exudes a quiet confidence, anchored by stone-fruits layered with flint, white button mushroom and sweet spices. It's been handled with great care and judicious winemaking lets the fruit take centre stage, although pockets of complexity arise. This is a brilliant chardonnay that delivers its greatness with ease and calm. Drink to 2033.

97 points Gabrielle Poy for The Real Review, November 2025

Adrian Rodda is a naturally intuitive maker of chardonnay with an understanding of nuance and poise. Both come together here with the 550m high-Smith vineyard's signature fruit intensity and granitic minerality. It's a formidable combo. Lemon pith, grapefruit peel, nectarine, quince, biscuity oak and spice bring forward superfine, lifted aromas. With lively acid drive in place, the palate lights up with flavours running deep, textures smooth and a growing mealy, nutty complexity that just keeps going. Great chardonnay. Drink to 2037.

96 points Jeni Port for Halliday Wine Companion, 22 June 2026

Adrian Rodda works with small parcels of premium fruit, with particular focus on Chardonnay and the Beechworth region. The Smiths vineyard, planted in 1978, has four blocks of Chardonnay with the Triangle Block of just 183 vines being the fruit source for this wine. The vineyard has an easterly aspect and is located at an elevation of 550 metres. It is at a transition zone of the two soil types that define the Beechworth region: granitic, and shaley red Ordovician soil.

2024 provided a high-quality crop for Beechworth. The fruit was whole-bunch pressed to oak without clarification or racking for ambient fermentation. The wine was sulphured after fermentation and rested on lees for 12 months before being transferred to older oak for a further four-month maturation prior to bottling.

Intense aromas white stone fruit and citrus with flinty notes laced with almonds, and earthy warm spice. The palate is full-bodied and powerful, with the creamy texture balanced by citrus-driven acidity.

Pan-seared scallops in a hazelnut brown butter sauce or crispy-skin pork belly with plum dipping sauce are worthy dinner companions to this wine.