2024 Elanto Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula

The 2024 Balnarring Chardonnay is tighter, brighter and more primary than the 2023 tasted alongside. In the mouth, the wine is svelte and textural, and it shows all the sophistication of the site. The elevated malolactic percentage here contributes to the elevated sense of creaminess in the mouth. It's an excellent wine and will be even better in time. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under Diam. The fruit is handpicked into 10-kilogram baskets. The winery and vineyard are adjacent, and once in the winery, the fruit goes over a sorting table with rollers at the end of the elevator. The fruit is pressed direct to barriques—all French, mainly Sirugue (from the Forêt de Tronçais, in central France)—and fermented wild, with wild malolactic fermentation (5% to 10%). The 2023 Chardonnay wouldn't go through wild malolactic fermentation, but the red eventually did. The wine is taken out of barrel at Christmastime, after which it spends two months in concrete, and then goes to stainless for a further four months. Drink 2025-2039. 

96 points Erin Larkin robertparker.com

The Elanto vineyard – at Balnarring on the Mornington Peninsula – is 10.6 hectares of 11,111 vines each hectare, which equates to a vineyard made up of 117, 777 individual vines. This is the second release of a chardonnay from this remarkable vineyard. It’s made by Sandro Mosele. 85% of this release went through malo where very little of the 2023 release did. This is seriously good. The intensity of fruit is the thing, and the associated length, though there’s a keen textural element and just plenty of wow factor besides. Yellow peach, citrus, nougat, honeycomb and lemon blossom notes charge thoughout. There’s a lot of fruit, a deal of acidity, and a sizeable serve of oak, but all work together and all feel commanding. Drink 2027-2032+ 

96 points Campbell Mattinson winefront.com.au

A terrific follow up to the inaugural release, coming out with more weight and body. Mid-straw gold and bright. Floral and waxy with lemon, spiced stone fruit, brown spices and honeycomb – lots within yet definitely in the savoury spectrum. Fuller bodied, rich, almost al dente with its phenolics and layers of texture via creamy, nutty lees. It’s detailed yet supple, with a succulence thanks to the all-important uplifting acidity. Moreish and compelling. Drink by 2034.

96 points Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

From a small, detail obsessed Mornington Peninsula project, this Chardonnay reflects Sandro Mosele’s pursuit of tension, precision and site transparency. Mosele works with cool, elevated Peninsula vineyards where maritime air and lean soils produce fruit with natural acidity and quiet intensity. The focus is on capturing energy rather than weight, shaping a Chardonnay that feels tightly wound and architectural. Despite its tiny production, the wine has attracted strong critical praise and show accolades, quickly earning a reputation as one of the Peninsula’s most exciting boutique releases.

In the cellar, every decision is about balance. Whole bunch pressing, wild fermentation and extended lees contact build texture without blunting the wine’s line. Oak is judged with restraint, acting as a structural frame rather than a flavour statement. The result is a Chardonnay that feels sculpted, driven by mineral tension and layered detail.

In the glass it shows pale gold with green flashes. Aromas are fine and complex, opening with lemon zest, white peach and grapefruit, followed by cashew, almond meal and flint. A cool saline edge hints at the Peninsula’s coastal influence.

The palate is medium bodied yet powerful, with citrus and stone fruit wrapped in a chalky, creamy texture. Acidity is bright and driving, carrying the wine long and precise. Savoury oak sits quietly beneath the fruit, contributing depth without softness. The finish is mineral, persistent and mouthwatering, built for slow evolution.

It pairs beautifully with lobster, scallops, roast chicken and butter rich seafood dishes. Impressive now with air, it will cellar confidently for eight to twelve years, developing nutty and savoury complexity while retaining its electric spine.

This is Mornington Chardonnay in a serious, modern voice, tightly coiled, textural and shaped by a winemaker chasing detail over volume.