2025 Patrick Sullivan Chardonnay, Limestone Coast

Fruit from the Limestone Coast, specifically Mount Gambier, Coonawarra and Wrattonbully, morphing into a terrific tangy, salty and lemony drink. There’s texture, almost a pear-skin phenolic feel, and fine acidity throughout. It’s a drink-now chardonnay. Don’t wait. Drink to 2031.

92 points Jane Faulkner for Halliday Wine Companion, April 2026

The fruit for this wine was sourced from vineyards in Mount Gambier, Coonawarra and Wrattonbully. The fruit was whole bunch pressed, with the juice settled in stainless steel before fermentation in a combination of stainless steel vats and oak barriques of which a quarter were new.

Vibrant and precise, there’s bright salinity to the layered and textural fruit. This drinks well on release, and while it will no doubt keep well for a couple of years, the main appeal here is the youthful tanginess.

Enjoy with pipis tossed with lemongrass, garlic, rice wine and a splash of fish sauce, or flatbreads and labneh dressed with finely chopped preserved lemon and crushed pistachios.

About this producer

Patrick Sullivan is a Gippsland-based Chardonnay-specialist whose focus is on single vineyard expressions of volcanic sites within the local Baw Baw Shire. Fruit is also bought from exceptional growers in Yarra Valley, Henty and the Limestone Coast.

Patrick lives with his wife Megan and their children on Tumblestone Farm in Ellinbank. The property houses his winery and will also provide his currently negociant-modelled business with estate grown fruit in the long term.