2022 Ossa Chardonnay

Ossa is a relatively young label making waves on Tasmania’s East Coast, with a focus on small-batch wines that really lean into the region’s cool, slow ripening season. The 2022 Chardonnay comes off low-yielding vines, hand-picked for flavour and balance rather than sheer ripeness.

Winemaker Hugh McCullough keeps the handling gentle – whole-bunch pressing straight to French oak (a mix of new and old barrels), wild fermentation, and a good stretch on lees. There’s just enough stirring to build texture without losing that bright line of acidity Tassie Chardy is known for.

What you get is a layered, quietly complex wine with citrus and stone fruit at its core, a savoury edge from the oak and lees, and a freshness that keeps you coming back. It’s polished without feeling showy, and will happily evolve in the cellar if you can resist opening it now.