2024 Penfolds Bin 144 Yattarna Chardonnay, Various

There's a recurring theme here. As is the norm, the new Yattarna release is a supremely focused, textural wine, leaving the drinker questioning how Penfolds manages to get so much complexity and flavour within that taut, mineral-laden framework. Citrus and white nectarine at its core, with hints of clover blossom, wet stone, soft spice, crème fraîche, crushed shells, grilled nuts, almond paste and apple turnover. Those fruit flavours are keenly poised on the palate, with a filigreed, harmonious composition and a long stretch of flavour. There's just a slip of phenolic texture and a swift mineral cadence that propels the wine forward. It really is a beautiful wine.

98 points Dave Brookes for Halliday Wine Companion Jun 2026

Yattarna sits at the summit of the Penfolds white wine portfolio, created from an uncompromising pursuit of Australia's finest Chardonnay. First released in 1995 after years of research and countless blending trials, its name means "little by little, gradually" in an Indigenous Australian language, reflecting the patient philosophy behind one of the country's most ambitious wines. Bin 144 is sourced from a selection of exceptional cool climate vineyards across Australia, with each vintage assembled from the regions that best express purity, power and longevity. Revered by collectors around the world, Yattarna is widely regarded as one of Australia's greatest Chardonnays.

The 2024 vintage draws together outstanding parcels from carefully selected vineyards, with Tasmania, the Adelaide Hills and Tumbarumba again contributing to the blend. Every component is vinified separately before the final assemblage, allowing the Penfolds winemaking team to build extraordinary complexity while preserving the identity of each site. Whole bunch pressing, wild and cultured yeast fermentation and maturation in premium French oak barriques create a Chardonnay of immense precision, texture and remarkable ageing potential.

The colour is a brilliant pale gold with flashes of green. Aromas of white peach, finger lime and grapefruit zest unfold alongside white flowers, struck flint, toasted brioche and roasted hazelnut. The palate is both powerful and effortlessly poised, revealing layers of citrus, nectarine and lemon curd wrapped around crystalline acidity and a creamy, finely textured core. Nuances of oyster shell, almond meal, subtle spice and smoky mineral notes build through an exceptionally long finish that combines intensity with breathtaking finesse. Every element is perfectly integrated, delivering a Chardonnay of extraordinary purity, balance and persistence.

Magnificent with southern rock lobster, seared scallops, turbot in beurre blanc, roast free range chicken with morels or a perfectly matured Comté. While captivating in its youth, Yattarna is built for the long haul and will continue to gain complexity and nuance over the next twenty years or more, cementing its place among Australia's most iconic and collectible white wines.