2024 Marchand & Burch Villages Chardonnay, Great Southern

Chardonnays from this hot season have emerged quite strong, and this is another fine example. From the Mount Barker region, it underwent some natural ferment before being matured for an extended period in older French oak to deliberately downplay overt oak influence. The result is a wine of brightness and elegance, with fine, pure minerality and light citrusy melon notes, touched with a little lemon meringue and brioche richness. It all carries forward in a precise, linear fashion to a sustained finish. Drink to 2030.

94 points Ray Jordan Wine Review 2027

Sourced from the Mount Barrow vineyard in Great Southern at an elevation of 380 metres. Fermentation in French oak: 33% new, 33% one year old, 33% older. This opens with nutty tones of nougat and almond paste before a quick prettying-up thanks to citrus blossom, grapefruit and tangy lemon. A good swirl of the glass unlocks more core fruit aromas with the addition of nectarine and yellow apple. There’s some subtle pastry dough in the background from the lees, adding interest. Altogether, a rounded and attractive perfume showing lovely complexity. The palate is bright, lifted and packed with pithy white grapefruit, lemon, almond, cedar and nectarine. There’s a good balance of tension and texture, helped by a firm line of chalky phenolics and lemony acidity which draw to solid length. I like this for its complexity, structure and linear feel. A strong release, ready to drink now.

93 points Tom Kline for Wine Pilot, December 2025

This operation is a Franco-Aussie partnership between Jeff Burch from Howard Park and Pascal Marchand from Burgundy. This wine, the Villages, is their nod to Chablis, while the Mount Barrow Chardonnay reflects their version of Chassagne-Montrachet. Fermentation here is in oak, mostly barriques, with 30% of them new. Malolactic fermentation commences in oak but is completed in tank. The wine will then spend eight to nine months on lees in tank. Deep lemon in colour, there are gorgeous aromatics here. Notes of cashews, mandarins, ginger, dry herbs, lemon curd and stone fruits abound. The wine has a seductive texture, good concentration, fine balance, is soft and generous, and of medium length. For enjoying over the next half dozen years. Drink to 2031.

93 points Ken Gargett for Wine Pilot, December 2025

Immediately appealing with its lemony flavour and brisk acidity, which gives a tightness and brightness across the palate. Cedary, spicy oak and a coating of nutty lees add extra depth, but mostly this is a refreshing drink, and ready now. Drink to 2030.

93 points Jane Faulkner for Halliday Wine Companion, September 2025

Mid-straw, light and bright in the glass. Lifted aromas of grapefruit, mineral, stone fruit and white flowers. Pithy and creamy on the palate, with a core of citrus, peach and tangy acidity. There's a touch of nutty oak shaping it all up and the length is impressive. Drink to 2032.

92 points Aaron Brasher for The Real Review, November 2025

Marchand & Burch is a collaborative label established in 2007 by Burch family of Howard Park in Margaret River and French-Canadian winemaker Pascal Marchand whose illustrious CV can namedrop Burgundian names like Domaine Comte Armand and Clos de la Vougeraie. The wines presented are sourced from grapes grown in Western Australian and Burgundian vineyards.