2024 Dalrymple Single Site Estate Coal River Valley Chardonnay, Tasmania

Youthful light yellow hue, and the freshness is evident on the nose as well: lemon juice, freshly rolled pastry, curing hay and bread crust aromas. The wine is delicate and refined, subtle and tightly coiled, with beautifully balanced acidity and an even flow across the palate. Nice now, but better in another year. 01 Jul 2025 Drink 2025–2034

92 points Huon Hooke therealrevew.com

Dalrymple Single Site Estate Coal River Valley Chardonnay is a focused and finely tuned expression of Tasmanian cool-climate Chardonnay, sourced from a carefully selected vineyard in the Coal River Valley. This inland region just outside Hobart is one of Tasmania’s driest and most distinctive winegrowing zones, where long sunshine hours and cold nights allow Chardonnay to ripen slowly, building intensity without sacrificing freshness. The soils here are a mix of clay loam over dolerite and sandstone, lending structure and mineral drive to the wines.

Winemaker Peter Caldwell approaches this single site release with the same precision and restraint that defines Dalrymple’s best work. Grapes are handpicked and whole-bunch pressed, with wild fermentation in a mix of new and seasoned French oak puncheons. There is full or partial malolactic fermentation depending on the vintage, with extended lees contact and bâtonnage to build texture. The result is a Chardonnay that balances power with finesse, fruit with structure, and richness with purity.

In the glass, it offers aromas of white peach, nectarine and lemon curd alongside flint, hazelnut, struck match and subtle oak spice. The palate is chiselled and taut, yet creamy at the edges, with layered citrus, white stone fruit and a distinctive saline minerality that carries through the long, focused finish. It’s a wine of shape and detail, made for lovers of elegant but expressive Chardonnay.

Food pairings should match its precision and poise—think seared scallops with cauliflower purée, roasted chicken with tarragon butter, grilled marron or charred asparagus with lemon hollandaise. This Chardonnay will continue to evolve over 5 to 8 years, gaining more depth, complexity and toasted nut character with time.

Dalrymple’s single site wines highlight Tasmania’s extraordinary regional diversity, and the Coal River Valley release stands tall among the finest. It captures the essence of its origin with quiet confidence and is quickly becoming one of the benchmarks for cool-climate Australian Chardonnay.