2024 Fire Gully Chardonnay, Margaret River

This is a rich style of chardonnay. It will be too rich for some, and too irresistible for others. It’s buttery, and toasty, and slightly resiny, with peaches-drizzled-with-honey and pine flavours running throughout. It shows a little bit of warmth and a whole lot of generosity. If you like you like. Most of the so-called “buttery chardonnays” are poor examples of the style; this nougat-accented example is the opposite.

93 points Campbell Mattinson winefront.com.au

So what you have is a wine that shows lovely vibrant fruit on the nose with those slightly grapefruity lemon pith and melony-like notes. The palate is light bodied but most appealing and flavoursome with good balance, light oak treatment and a fine lingering acidity adding some lift. This is such a good current drinking chardonnay.

93 points Ray Jordan rayjordanwine.com.au

The 2024 Chardonnay is toasty and woody, with cedar wood and roasted cashews, jersey caramels and preserved lemon. In the mouth, the wine is rich and full-bodied, with concentrated fruit flavors and gently phenolic grip. 2024 was a hot, dry, early vintage, and yet its saving grace may have been its consistency in all three of these aspects: producers were able to see the writing on the wall, and the best ones worked hard in the vineyards to mitigate its impact. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

91 points robertparker.com

Fire Gully Chardonnay from Margaret River is a beautifully balanced and expressive cool-climate white wine, crafted by the highly regarded Pierro winery. Fire Gully Vineyard, located in Wilyabrup, benefits from Margaret River’s maritime influence, gravelly soils, and long growing season, which create ideal conditions for Chardonnay. With a winemaking approach that emphasizes texture and purity, this wine showcases the region’s ability to produce Chardonnays with both richness and elegance.

Golden straw in color, the nose is inviting and complex, offering aromas of ripe white peach, nectarine, and citrus blossom, layered with hints of toasted hazelnut, brioche, and flinty minerality. The palate is finely structured, with vibrant acidity providing balance to the creamy mid-palate, where notes of lemon curd, baked apple, and subtle spice unfold. A touch of well-integrated French oak adds depth without overpowering the fruit, leading to a long, refined finish with lingering citrus zest and a hint of roasted almond.

This Chardonnay pairs effortlessly with grilled lobster, roast chicken with herbs, or creamy pasta dishes. Its bright acidity and mineral backbone also complement seafood, truffle risotto, and soft cheeses like Brie or Comté. Enjoyable in its youth for its freshness and vibrancy, it also has the structure to develop greater complexity over the next 5–7 years.