Description

The motto at Mallaluka seems to be “we drink what we make, the rest is for you.” This family-run winery started in 2014. Low-intervention/experimental batches are the go here. They might learn the hard way one vintage. But next vintage, you bet they will have nailed it.

Mallaluka Chardonnay is great. It is richly flavoured, full-bodied but no oak is in sight… or smell I guess. The climate at Hilltops is perfect for letting fruit ripen slowly and retain acidity while letting the flavours slowly develop. This Chardonnay is a perfect example of that. It tastes and feels like ripe Chardonnay with great body and a line of acid. It is drinkable and charming right now.

Hilltops

A GI near Canberra. Officially established in 1998, vines were around in the 1860s. It includes the main towns of Boorowa, Harden and Young. The region has about 600 hectares of vineyards. Red wine grapes are the most popular. However, being 450 metres asl means some elegant, aromatic whites can be produced too.

Chardonnay 

The grape that you can plant anywhere, in any climate and do anything to and it will still taste like an OK wine. When people hit the sweet spot of site, climate, cropping and winemaking, Chardonnay becomes a magical wine that will age gracefully but charm you at any age. Chardonnays can range from cool-climate lean and citrusy to warmer climate tropical and overt. Oak and lees can add flavouring as can malolactic fermentation.