2024 Canobolas Chardonnay

Jonathon Mattick has been quietly building one of Orange's most compelling Chardonnay programs at Canobolas, an historic site reinvigorated by Jono with 40-year-old vines on the red ferrosol soils of Mount Canobolas. 

We visited Jono early 2026 and it really is a remarkable vineyard. Altitude, volcanic geology and organic farming make for a distinctive kind of intensity here, and the 2024 is another strong argument for both Canobolas' obvious quality and Orange Chardonnay as a whole.

Fruit was handpicked over four non-consecutive days in February from the deepest red soils on the vineyard, whole-bunch pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts. Fifty percent went through natural malolactic, with the wine spending 11 months in French oak (20% new) followed by a further seven months on lees in tank before bottling unfined.

The result is a Chardonnay with real drive and presence: citrus-forward and mineral, with stone fruit adding weight through the mid-palate and a long, structured finish that reflects both the lees time and the natural acidity of the site. It's precise, long and with plenty of complexity.

One of Orange's finest!

96+ points
"Power and drive now, but a bit more time in the bottle, and this will continue to unfurl. Another joyous wine from Canobolas."
- Shanteh Wale (Halliday Wine Companion)