2023 Wantirna Estate Isabella Chardonnay

2024 marks 61 years since the first vines were planted at Wantirna Estate, established in 1963 on an east-facing slope in Melbourne's southeastern outskirts. Once a mix of orchards, bush, and grasslands, the vineyard thrives today under the care of Maryann, Reg's daughter, though Reg remains actively involved. The wines, named after his four grandchildren, feature labels illustrated by Michael Leunig, reflecting each grandchild's personality—a heartfelt touch to this family-run estate.
Chardonnay vines, over 40 years old, grow on an east-facing slope that captures gentle morning and afternoon sunlight, ideal for producing high-quality fruit. Hand-harvested early in the day, the fruit is pressed, chilled, and fermented in French oak barrels (new, one, and two years old) in a cool underground cellar. The wine matures on yeast lees with regular stirring to enhance texture and is bottled after 11 months.

Other Reviews....
Good of Wantirna to send wines in as they don’t need reviews to sell their wines, as do a bunch of other producers, yet they come along because I think they like to give their customers the opportunity to read some third party opinion. There’s never much of this wine made (772 bottles) and it’s sold out at the winery. Made from 50-60 year old vines.
Nectarine, ripe lemon, fennel, oatmeal with cinnamon, light cedar/vanilla oak. It’s a tighter expression of this wine, quite savoury too, nutty and saline, with a grainy texture, juicy grapefruit acidity, just ripe peach, lime, and some lemon zest on a finish of excellent length. I’d give it a year or two to settle in, but gee, it’s a good and lively release of this wine. Drink 2025 - 2031+
95 Points
Gary Walsh - The Wine Front