2024 Stella Bella Chardonnay, Margaret River

A highly enjoyable, satisfying wine that balances the right amount of detail and complexity with immediate appeal and drinkability. Refined with wafts of citrus blossom, ginger flower and spice – actually really spicy – leading onto flavours of white peaches and lemon with a touch of daikon. A little flinty, with fine acidity leading this to a long finish. Very good in every way.

95 points Special Value Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

From coastal vineyards in southern Margaret River, this Chardonnay reflects the region’s trademark combination of sunshine, ocean influence and gravelly soils that favour precision over heaviness. Stella Bella focuses on clarity and freshness, and under winemaker Luke Jolliffe the style leans toward tension, fine texture and site expression rather than overt oak or sweetness. The fruit is drawn from cooler southern sites where long ripening builds flavour while preserving natural acidity, shaping a wine that feels bright and coastal.

In the winery the approach is controlled and thoughtful. Whole bunch pressing, selective wild fermentation and careful lees work build depth without blurring the wine’s line. Oak is used as seasoning rather than a headline, adding frame and savoury detail while letting citrus and stone fruit remain at the core.

In the glass it shows pale gold with green flashes. Aromas are lifted and precise, opening with lemon zest, white peach and nectarine, followed by cashew, almond meal and a faint flinty edge. There is a saline freshness that hints at the nearby ocean.

The palate is medium bodied and tightly focused, with citrus and stone fruit carried by a creamy but restrained texture. Acidity is bright and linear, driving the wine long through the finish. Flavours echo the nose, lemon, peach and subtle spice, finishing clean, mineral and mouthwatering.

It pairs beautifully with grilled fish, scallops, roast chicken, pork and dishes with butter or herbs. Drinking impressively now with air, it will cellar comfortably for six to eight years, developing nutty and savoury complexity while retaining freshness.

This is Margaret River Chardonnay in a modern voice, coastal, precise and quietly powerful, guided by balance rather than excess.