2024 A. Rodda Willow Lake Vineyard Chardonnay

Adrian Rodda might be synonymous with Beechworth these days, but he’s never lost his touch in the Yarra Valley. This comes from the Parkinson’s Road block at Willow Lake - a special little south-facing patch planted back in 1979. Because it’s a bit cooler and sits on those older vines, you get a version of Yarra Chardonnay that’s incredibly poised and precise.

We tasted this last week and it’s a total class act. Adrian uses 500-litre French oak puncheons here to build some curves, but he’s kept it fresh by skipping the malolactic fermentation. It spent a full year resting on its lees, which gives it that classic, nutty weight and a silky mouthfeel that fans of his style will recognise immediately.

You’ll find plenty of white nectarine and grapefruit, but there’s a savoury, saline edge to it that we love. As always with Adrian's Chardonnays it feels tightly coiled and energetic, with structure and acid at the heart of the wine.

It’s drinking beautifully right now if you like that zesty, nervous energy, but it'll age like a dream.

95 points
"Offers Yarra Valley elegance with an impressive complexity of fruit... This is svelte, sophisticated, with warm texture and fresh acidity. Yes, the structure allows for more ageing. Can you wait?"
- Jeni Port (Halliday Wine Companion)