2025 Philip Shaw The Architect Chardonnay, Orange

The Architect sits in the Character Series — Philip Shaw's more accessible tier — but don't let that undersell it. This is serious Chardonnay made with a light hand and a clear sense of place. The fruit comes from younger vines at Koomooloo planted in 1995, on a block with a southerly aspect that catches only the morning sun and stays genuinely cool through the growing season. In Orange, that kind of detail matters.

The winemaking follows the fruit's lead — natural yeast fermentation, partial barrel ferment, regular lees stirring for texture and weight, malolactic in spring. The result is a Chardonnay with real presence but no excess. Pale straw with a green tinge, the nose is fragrant and layered — white peach, melon, cashew and a whisper of citrus blossom. The palate is fresh and driven, with stone fruit, a creamy mid-palate and bright grapefruit acidity that carries the wine cleanly to a long finish.

Food-friendly but genuinely satisfying on its own. Seafood, roast chicken, soft cheeses or simply a glass on the verandah before dinner.

Drink now through 2028.