2025 Helen's Hill Breachley Chardonnay, Yarra Valley

Helen’s Hill has been a co-venture of the McIntosh and Nalder families since 1997, and is named after Helen Fraser, the former owner of the property located in the Coldstream area of Yarra Valley. All wines are made on-site from estate-grown fruit and guided to bottles by long-time winemaker Scott McCarthy. The total area planted to vines today is 40 hectares, with focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The Breachley Block Chardonnay comes from the northernmost part of the vineyard. The vines were planted in 1983 in loamy and rocky subsoils over rhyolite rock of volcanic origin. Ideal spring conditions in 2025 led to excellent fruit set and beautifully balanced canopies. A warm summer provided optimal ripening, and this wine showcases the year with a rounded and expressive fruit profile.

Hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed, the juice was wild-fermented in French oak barrels and matured on lees for nine months with regular stirring of the lees.

Ripe peaches and nectarines lead the aromas with notes of lemon blossom and curd. A sprinkle of toasted hazelnuts and subtle flinty notes emerge over time. The harmonious palate is textural and creamy, with saline notes and the bright acidity lifting the fruit. Light notes of cedar act in a supportive role adding complexity.

An elegant expression of the Coldstream style of Chardonnay that drinks well on release but will impress even more after a year or two in bottle. The current youthful texture and salinity pair well with charred king prawns with hazelnut picada with grilled lemon. Butter and thyme roasted Jerusalem artichokes would serve as a fine side.