AUSTRALIAN WINE

MADE OUR WAY

C H A R D O N N A Y
AUSTRALIAN WINE
MADE OUR WAY

Australia’s unique climate and

landscape have fostered a fiercely
independent wine scene, home
to a vibrant community of growers,
winemakers, viticulturists, and
vignerons. With more than 100
grape varieties grown across 65
distinct wine regions, we have the
freedom to make exceptional wine,
and to do it our own way. We’re not
beholden by tradition, but continue
to push the boundaries in the pursuit
of the most diverse, thrilling wines
in the world. That’s just our way.
AUSTRALIAN CHARDONNAY:

THE
EVOLUTION
OF A CLASSIC Australian Chardonnay has
enjoyed the industry’s highs
and weathered its lows with
resilience, and it continues to
hold a special place for Australian
wine lovers. Its Australian
journey is a roller-coaster
ride of dramatic proportions.
TODAY

WE’LL - The history of

Australian Chardonnay
- How it’s grown
- How it’s made
- The different styles
- Where it’s grown

COVER…
- Characteristics and
flavour profiles
- Chardonnay by numbers
 THE HISTORY 1908 1969
OF AUSTRALIAN Tyrrell’s HVD vineyard is
planted in Hunter Valley,
Craigmoor’s cuttings
identified as one of

CHARDONNAY now one of the oldest

Chardonnay vineyards
the best Chardonnay
clones with European
in the world. provenance in Australia.
The history

1820s
–1930s
Chardonnay is one of the
1918
Chardonnay cuttings from
original varieties brought Kaluna Vineyard in Sydney’s
to Australia and thrives in Fairfield are given to a Roth
the warm, dry climate. family member, who plants
them at Craigmoor Vineyards
in Mudgee.
 EARLY
1970s
Consumer preferences 1979 1980s
A new style of
shift to table wines, with Chardonnay enters the
new styles produced, Winemaker Brian Croser wine market. It’s oaked,
including Tyrrell’s Vat 47 plants Chardonnay in rich and bright yellow –
Chardonnay. cool-climate Adelaide Hills. ‘sunshine in a bottle’.

1972Mudgee winery Craigmoor

follows Tyrrell’s lead and releases
a 100% Chardonnay, unlike other
whites of the day labelled as
‘Pinot Blanc’ or ‘Riesling’.
MID TO LATE
1980s LATE
–1990s 2000s
Tastes preferences move from big,
The charge to make big,
oaked, buttery Australian luscious, overly oaked wines to fresher,
Chardonnay is taken on by unoaked, fruit-driven styles.
wineries all over the country.

EARLY
2000s TODAY
Chardonnay becomes Today’s premium Australian
less fashionable as a Chardonnay, including
lighter, unoaked, aromatic sparkling wine, is crafted
challenger arrives in from cool-climate fruit
the form of Marlborough from regions such as the
Sauvignon Blanc. Yarra Valley and Tasmania.
 THE STORY OF TYRRELL’S WINES:

A GROUNDBREAKING
H U N T E R W I N E RY
AND GRANGE:
One of the Hunter Valley’s most
renowned winemaking dynasties
is the Tyrrell family. Today, the
winemaking baton is being passed
from fourth-generation father
Bruce Tyrrell to his fifth-generation
son, Chris Tyrrell.

FUN FACT
The legend goes that Murray Tyrrell
stole Chardonnay vines from Penfolds’
experimental vineyard to plant in his
family’s Hunter Valley vineyard, now
home to the famous Vat 47 Chardonnay.
 - An incredibly adaptable vine
which takes on characteristics
of the site where its grown.
- Tight yield control encourages
lean flavours and good acid
development.
- Lower yields give more intense
flavour concentration in the grapes.
- Early harvest to capture good
acid structure.

VITICULTURE:
HOW AUSTRALIAN
CHARDONNAY IS GROWN
WINEMAKING:
TECHNIQUES INFLUENCING
C H A R D O N N AY
STEMS UNBROKEN CAN
STEMS GRAPE OCCUR
LEFT IN ADDED CLUSTERS
CONTACT STILL ON
IN THREE
STEMS WAYS

WHOLE-BUNCH COLD BARREL MALOLACTIC OAK INFLUENCE

PRESSING FERMENTATION FERMENTATION FERMENTATION
WINEMAKING:
TECHNIQUES INFLUENCING
C H A R D O N N AY
YEAST
AND SUGAR
WINE IS ADDED TO
LEFT TO BOTTLE
AGE ON ITS
LEES

BARREL EXTENDED LEES BÂTONNAGE WILD SECONDARY

MATURATION CONTACT FERMENTATION FERMENTATION
(IN SPARKLING WINE)
COMMON
CHARDONNAY
STYLES Due to its adaptability, there's no one universal
style. Australian Chardonnays express the
diversity of the people who craft them and the
unique regional characteristics of their origins.
COMMON

CHARDONNAY
ST YLES
COMES TO
LIFE WHEN
PAIRED WITH
FOOD

- Fresh
UNOAKED - Floral
- Vibrant
- Lean

OAKED

SPARKLING
- Smooth
FULL - Creamy
BODIED - Complex - Dry
- Toasty - Floral
- Elegant
- Savoury
WHERE IS
CHARDONNAY GROWN?
Murray Darling
VICTORIA
Swan Hill

Beechworth
Goulburn Valley

Macedon Ranges

MELBOURNE
Yarra Valley
Geelong
GEELONG

Mornington
Peninsula
YARRA VALLEY
- Popular tourist destination
- Colourful history
- Groundbreaking winemakers
- Food and wine paradise

YARRA
VALLEY
 CRUSH
TYPE
CHARDONNAY
LOW
35 65
WHITE
%
RED
%
34 % OF YARRA
VALLEY'S
TOTAL CRUSH
ALTITUDE
50–350M
164–1,148FT

YA R R A V A L L E Y S N A P S H O T
C L I M AT E

C O N T I N E N TA L HEAT DEGREE DAYS

MEAN JANUARY
TEMPERATURE
MEDIUM 18.7°C
MEDIUM 65.7°F
GROWING
1,352
–COOL
S E AS O N R AI N FAL L

400–550MM / 15.7–21.7IN
 The Yarra Valley’s northern side feature soils of grey

SOIL to grey-brown on the surface, and from loamy sand

to clay loam in consistency with red-brown clay
subsoils, often filled with rock. The other major soil
type is the immensely deep and fertile red volcanic
soil on the southern side of the valley.
 MORNINGTON
PENINSULA

MORNINGTON
PENINSULA
- Historical significance
F U N FAC T
- Seaside playground
No vineyard site in the
Mornington Peninsula - True maritime region
is further than 7km - Popular gourmet escape
from the ocean.
 CRUSH
TYPE
CHARDONNAY
LOW
40 60
WHITE
%
RED
%
25 % OF MORNINGTON
PENINSULA'S
TOTAL CRUSH
ALTITUDE
25–250M
82–820FT

MORNINGTON PENINSULA SNAPSHOT

C L I M AT E

MARITIME HEAT DEGREE DAYS

MEAN JANUARY
TEMPERATURE
MEDIUM 19.4°C
MEDIUM 66.9°F
GROWING
1,570
S E AS O N R AI N FAL L
–MODERATE
320–390MM / 12.5–15.3IN
 The Mornington Peninsula’s soils differ across

SOIL the region, ranging from deep fertile sandy soils

in the northern area, yellow and brown soils over
friable, well-drained clay and russet-red volcanic-
based soils in the south.
 PERTH

WESTERN
AUSTRALIA
GEOGRAPHE

MARGARET GREAT
RIVER SOUTHERN
MARGARET RIVER
- History of research
and development
- Trailblazers
- Coastal location

F U N FAC T
Margaret River produces about
20% of Australia’s premium wine
from only 3% of Australia’s total
grape crush.

MARGARET
RIVER
 CRUSH
TYPE
CHARDONNAY
LOW
50 50
WHITE
%
RED
%
16 % OF MARGARET
RIVER'S TOTAL
CRUSH
ALTITUDE
40–90M
130–295FT

MARGARET RIVER SNAPSHOT

C L I M AT E

MARITIME HEAT DEGREE DAYS

MEAN JANUARY
TEMPERATURE
HIGH 20.4°C
LOW 68.7°F
GROWING
S E AS O N R AI N FAL L
1,690
–MODERATE
275MM / 10.8IN
 The region consists of grey loam on a subsoil of clay,

SOIL which is excellent for viticulture. The ridge from Cape

Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin is predominantly gravelly
loam on granite and gneiss, but its overall water-holding
capacity is low, and the granite layers encourage the
vines to search deep for nutrients and water.
NSW
AND ACT MUDGEE
HUNTER
VALLEY

NEWCASTLE

ORANGE
COWRA SYDNEY

WOLLONGONG

RIVERINA CANBERRA
DISTRICT SOUTHERN
ACT
HIGHLANDS

TUMBARUMBA
HUNTER VALLEY
- The birthplace of Australian wine
- Home to the Tyrrell’s family
- Popular tourist destination

F U N FAC T
The Hunter Valley is Australia's oldest
continuous wine region and is split into
the Lower Hunter, where the majority of HUNTER
wineries are located, and the Upper Hunter. VALLEY
 CRUSH
TYPE
CHARDONNAY
LOW
53 47
WHITE
%
RED
%
16 % OF HUNTER
VALLEY'S
TOTAL CRUSH
ALTITUDE
50–220M
165–720FT

H U N T E R VA L L E Y S N A P S H O T
C L I M AT E
–HIGH
SUBTROPICAL HEAT DEGREE DAYS
W I T H M AR I T I M E I N F L U E N C E S MEAN JANUARY
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE

GROWING
MEDIUM 2,170 22.3°C
S E AS O N R AI N FAL L 72.1°F
500MM / 19IN
 Lower Hunter soils vary from sandy alluvial flats to

SOIL deep loam and friable red duplex soils. In the Upper
Hunter, the rivers and creeks contribute to the area’s
black, silty loam soils that are often overlaid on top of
alkaline clay loam. The hills of the Brokenback Range
feature strips of volcanic basalt.
 CLARE
VALLEY

SOUTH
AUSTRALIA BAROSSA
VALLEY
RIVERLAND

ADELAIDE ADELAIDE
HILLS

McLAREN VALE
A DELA ID E HILLS
- German heritage
- Food lovers’ haven
- Rebirth of a region
- Cool-climate centre

DID YOU KNOW?

Two sub-regions sit within the
Adelaide Hills region: Lenswood
and Piccadilly Valley.
ADELAIDE
HILLS
 TYPE
CRUSH LOW-
CHARDONNAY MEDIUM
60 40
WHITE
%
RED
%
22 % OF ADELAIDE
HILL'S TOTAL
CRUSH
ALTITUDE
400–500M
1,312–1,640FT

ADELAIDE HILLSSNAPSHOT
C L I M AT E

MARITIME HEAT DEGREE DAYS

MEAN JANUARY
TEMPERATURE
LOW 19.1°C
LOW 66°F
GROWING
S E AS O N R AI N FAL L 1,270
–MODERATE
280–320MM / 11–12.5IN
 Adelaide Hills’ soils are highly variable in structure and

SOIL chemistry. The region has a mixture of grey-brown or

brown loamy sands, with patches of sandy soils over
clay subsoils. Soil depth is also variable due to
topography, which can range from steep slopes to
undulating hills, resulting in shallow stony soils to the
top of hills and deep peat-like clays at the bottom.
 LAUNCESTON

HOBART

TA S M A N I A
TASMANIA
- Fine cool-climate region
- Sparkling wine wonderland
- Gourmet paradise

TASMANIA
 CRUSH
TYPE
CHARDONNAY
LOW
52 48
WHITE
%
RED
%
26 % OF TASMANIA'S
TOTAL CRUSH
ALTITUDE
0–80M
0–262FT

TA S M A N I A S N A P S H O T
C L I M AT E

MARITIME HEAT DEGREE DAYS MEAN JANUARY

TEMPERATURE
LOW 16.8°C
GROWING
MEDIUM 1,013 62.2°F
–COOL
S E AS O N R AI N FAL L

350MM / 13.7IN
 On the lower slopes, the vineyard soils feature ancient

SOIL sandstones, mudstones, river sediments and igneous

rock of volcanic origin. Sandstone and schist appear
in Derwent Valley. Peaty alluvial and sandy low humus
soils in Coal River Valley. Pipers River boasts deep,
free-draining, friable soils, while Tamar Valley is gravelly
basalt on a clay and limestone base.
AUSTRALIAN CHARDONNAY

CHA R A CTERISTICS
FLAVOURS
COLOUR
Chardonnay - Lemon - Nectarine
- Apple - Melon
- Pear - Mango
Light Medium Full
BODY - Peach - Pineapple

Dry Medium dry Sweet - Toast - Cinnamon

SWEETNESS - Vanilla - Coconut
- Butter - Nougat
Low Medium High - Toffee - Toasted
OAK - Honey almond
ACIDITY - Crème - Spice
brulée - Chalk
8% 12.5%-14.5% 17% - Minerality
ALCOHOL
(Sparkling)
FOOD
PAIRINGS
UNOAKED

Roast chicken OAKED

Prawns Roast pork Grilled fish

Blue cheese
100% SPARKLING

Chicken korma Oysters Triple-cream brie Trout fillet

 UNITED
KINGDOM NETHERLANDS
CANADA
21% 4%
7%
EXPORTS

Approx.
JAPAN
5%
187 MILLION LITRES
A YEAR

=23%
OF AUSTRALIAN
UNITED WINE EXPORTS
STATES
36%

C H A R D O N N AY B Y N U M B E R S
P L AN T I N G S CRUSH

21,442 Chardonnay
12% Sauvignon
Blanc
HECTARES
9% Pinot Gris/

42 %
OF TOTAL Grigio
=16% AUSTRALIAN
AUSTRALIAN
TOTAL
WHITE WINE
CRUSH
8% Muscat Gordo
Blanco

29% Others
AS DIVERSE AS
THE COUNTRY THAT
MADE IT Australian Chardonnay wines
are an expression of our
distinctive terroirs and the vibrant
communities that cultivate them.
From rogue to refined, classic to
contemporary, it’s a variety with
more, you know, variety.
THANK YOU