2024 Pipers Brook Chardonnay, Tasmania

Freshness and power holds hands here. It smells of toasted nuts and stone fruits first off – nectarine, peach and apricot kernel. Some time in the glass unlocks flickers of woody brown spice and some prettying stone fruit blossom notes. Some lingering and subtle cedar beneath as a seasoning. There’s robust fruit and overall intensity on the palate – ripe nectarine, peach, kumquat, cedar and toasted nut tones again with a lemony acidity bringing tension and line along with a good lick of chalky phenolics. The finish is fresh and long. Give it some time to settle in the glass, and it rewards with a lovely balance of complexity, power and tension. Value on show here.

94 points Tom Kline for Wine Pilot, August 2026

Pale straw with aromas of white peach, nectarine and grapefruit, hints of soft spice, clover blossom, lemon curd and crushed stone. Focused and showing impressive tension on the palate with bright citrus and stone fruits, daubed with spice and cream, a crystalline acid line and drive and precision to burn. Drink to 2032.

94 points Dave Brookes for Halliday Wine Companion, June 2026

When Andrew Pirie planted vines in northern Tasmania during the 1970s, many considered the idea wildly optimistic. Decades later, Pipers Brook stands as one of the pioneers that helped establish Tasmania as one of Australia's great cool climate wine regions. The winery's Chardonnays have long reflected the island's unique ability to combine ripeness with freshness, producing wines of purity, texture and remarkable drinkability.

The vineyards benefit from long daylight hours, cool maritime conditions and slow, even ripening throughout the growing season. The 2024 vintage delivered fruit of excellent quality, with bright natural acidity and impressive flavour concentration. Careful winemaking and restrained oak influence preserve the vibrancy of the fruit while adding texture and complexity to the finished wine.

Pale straw gold in colour, the bouquet reveals aromas of white peach, nectarine and grapefruit layered with notes of lemon curd, roasted cashew and subtle spice. The palate is bright and finely textured, combining citrus and stone fruit flavours with a gentle creaminess and refreshing acidity. There is an attractive mineral thread running through the wine, while the finish is clean, savoury and beautifully persistent.

This is a wonderful match for grilled scallops, roast chicken with tarragon, seafood linguine, zucchini fritters or a pumpkin and sage risotto. Equally enjoyable on its own, it captures the freshness and elegance that have made Tasmanian Chardonnay one of Australia's great success stories.