I’ve lamented before about how De Bortoli’s top Pinot Noir + Chardonnay wines are far too smart for their (relatively) low profile. This Riorret Eastern Ridge Chardonnay 2022 is a perfect example. Sourced from the Eastern Ridge Vineyard, which comes from Dixons Creek (i.e. where you’ll find the De Bortoli Yarra Valley cellar door). I can’t see where you can even buy this excellent Yarra Chardonnay tbh – it might be a cellar-door-only release. I didn’t even write down the alcohol before ditching the bottle…

Such a finessed style – there’s this gentle appley fruit that feels perfectly ripe and generous yet lovely delicacy. It rides the ‘enough flavour to be enjoyable’ wave but with this appley fruit and delicacy, coupled with a whisper of funk for complexity. Pretty masterful modern Yarra Chardonnay. But to buy some?

THE VERDICT

• Best drinking: now to five years
• Score (out of 20): 18.5
• Score (out of 100): 94
• Alcohol %:
• RRP (in $AUD): 45.95
• Winery website: https://www.debortoli.com.au/
• Would I buy it?: sure would