Chardonnay grapes picked off vines, planted to splendid decomposed granite soils atop the soaring heights of slow ripening Tumbarumba, are minimally handled with a view to maximizing fruit character and regional expression. Under & Over is a fresh and vibrant Chardonnay wine, fashioned to be enjoyed as aperitif or alongside good food, immensely approachable in its youth.

$1299each $153DOZEN EACH DOZEN Tumbarumba's cool climate and elevated aspects, where the vines can be planted to altitudes of 900m, are vital to the production of remarkable Chardonnay wines exhibiting great elegance, subtlety and length. Sustainable viticulture calls for low yields, achieving intense wines of moderate alcohol, requiring minimal additions and limited oak. Armchair Critic source their Chardonnay from some of the finest Tumbarumba sites. Harvests of partially hand picked fruit are completely de-stemmed before a cool and quick, precision actuated vinification to maximise varietal purity. The wine is primarily matured in tank while a smaller component is aged in a selection of mostly older oak barrels for complexity.

Pale light straw colour. Crisp aromas of river stones, citrus flowers, stonefruits and lemon. The palate is equally pure and fruit driven with grapefruit, citrus and white apple flavours supported by a fine mineral backbone and bracing acidity. A well balanced wine of character and complexity, crafted to a crisp and refreshing, faintly oaked, fruit driven style, Under & Over is decidedly a grown up style of Chardonnay.

McWilliams have long been sourcing fruit from Tumbarumba for some of their most memorable vintages. It has taken many years of devoted viticulture and dedication to the land before arriving at 842 Chardonnay. This prolific award winner is the flagship white from Tumbarumba's highest plantings, crafted from fruit grown at an altitude of 842 metres. The driving inspiration for the team is to create a truly cool climate, elegant style of Chardonnay which offers engaging complexity while remaining true to the expression of Tumbarumba's lofty terroir.

$3199each $381DOZEN EACH DOZEN Tumbarumba's cool winters and low temperatures encourage the grapes to ripen slowly, allowing maximum flavour accumulation. Chardonnay is sourced from sites and aspects across the undulating highlands of Tumbarumba, each parcel remains separate until the final assemblage. Fruit is cold settled and pressed, minimal contact with skins extracts maximum delicate flavour with low phenolic. Batches are vinified in a mix of fermenters and French oak, parcels remain in barrel on light yeast during a thorough battonage program to achieve complexity. Components are aged a year or more before a rigorous sampling and assessment to determine the final wine.

Pale straw hue. Intense nectarine, white peach and lime citrus dominate the aromatics, secondary characters of rock melon and honeydew, all supported by cashew nut nuances, wrapped around gun flint and intriguing wild ferment notes. The wonderful granite soils of Tumbarumba have provided a wine of immense structure and amazing intensity. High concentrations of fruit show through on the palate which is superbly balanced by creamy, textural layers. A wonderfully long, intense palate which finishes fresh and clean.

Meaning place of water, Barwang owes the character of it's wines to the most exacting standards of viticulture. An affinity for the land and a holistic approach to sustainable vineyard management is essential to the final goal of delivering bold, flavoursome wines. Characterised by a multitude of steep slopes, rich basalt soils and high altitude, the growing conditions at Tumbarumba contribute greatly to providing a long ripening period which consistently produces Chardonnay with exceptional flavour and heightened concentration of essential varietal fruit.

$1499each $177DOZEN EACH DOZEN The assorted blocks of Chardonnay vines are grown to altitudes between 840m and 500m. These sites produce a diversity of parcels from which to assemble a well balanced and complete wine. Following an evening and early morning harvest, fruit is transferred to the winery and tipped directly into the press for a slow, gentle cycle, ensuring only the finest free run juices are extracted prior to a short cold settle. Batches are racked to a selection of new and seasoned French oak barriques, taking along a substantial amount of press solids. A mixture of natural and inoculated yeast ferments encourage complexity. Upon completion, parcels are stirred twice weekly before nine months maturation and assemblage.

Pale straw colour. White peach, nectarine and fig characters over fresh green apple undertones. The nose is complex with subtle gunflint and biscuit aromas adding to the interest of this Chablis inspired wine. Impeccably structured, Tumbarumba shows intense fruit flavours, wonderful texture from battonage and beautiful length derived from the ample natural acidity, coalescing into a complex and classy wine.

McWilliam's has long been a major player and staunch supporter of the emerging Hilltops as a premiere viticultural precinct, retaining some of the region's most salubrious vines. Career farmer and veteran RAAF fighter pilot Peter Robinson planted his Barwang property to cuttings procured from McWilliams in 1969. The prodigal vines returned to McWillians stewardship and today contribute the backbone of fruit for Barwang Pinot Gris.

$1599each $189DOZEN EACH DOZEN Individual parcels of Pinot Gris are hand picked and treated separately to accentuate vineyard individuality, style and varietal expressions. Gently crushed with skins removed to minimize extraction of colour, the juice was chilled to below 6° before transfer to fermenters for vinification. Specially select yeasts are added to heighten fruit character whilst contributing palate weight and texture. The wine is treated to a term on yeast lees to infuse further complexity before stabilising and an early bottling for the retention of vitality, ensuring a fully fruit driven palate and heightened aromatics.

Medium straw colour. Floral and fruits notes of peach, pear and nectarine are present combined with subtle hints of creamy vanilla yoghurt. Intense varietal characters of pear drops and almond dominate the palate. These flavours are textured on the mid palate and finish with a lingering, refreshing cleanliness.

McWilliams Barwang pays tribute to the unique characteristics of cooler climate regions by delivering expressive, distinctive wines that reflect their origins. Tumbarumba produces highly flavoursome Sauvignon Blanc grapes that translate into luscious wines with good structure and finesse.

$1599each $189DOZEN EACH DOZEN McWilliams truly sets the benchmark within the up and coming wine growing region of Tumbarumba, in terms of quality and expression of the unique regional personality. Sauvignon Blanc is handpicked from three blocks and treated differently to accentuate the individuality of each parcel. All of the fruit is separately and gently crushed then chilled to below 60°C. The wine is then pressed to extract the free run juice with minimal skin contact. One parcel was bag pressed and allowed to sit on skins overnight before the juice was drained, to allow maximum flavour extraction. The juice was then fermented with a selected yeast in order to promote the natural fruit characters. Approx 11.5%

Pale straw with light green hues. Aroma Intense varietal aromas of herbs and tomato vines coupled with passionfruit, mango and some underlying gooseberry and lychee characters. A lovely, lingering palate with intense passionfruit and kiwifruit flavours. These are complemented by the excellent structure, natural acid and nuances of lemon and mandarin.

The Bidgeebong Triangle encompasses three distinct districts, Tumbarumba at the foothills of the Snowy Mountains, Hilltops and the Murrumbidgee plain around Gundagai. A vibrantly fruit driven, easy drinking cool climate Chardonnay, the finish is long and lingering.

$1499each $177DOZEN EACH DOZEN Bidgeebong's state of the art winery is located at Wagga Wagga, in close proximity to Charles Sturt University, the nation's major wine science and research centre. Bidgeebong's vineyards are meticulously managed to yield grapes of optimum flavour and balanced acidity. The estate's Chardonnay vines in particular are some of the most fastidiously husbanded examples in the region. Parcels of Chardonnay are harvested and delivered promptly to the estate wineworks where they are crushed, inoculated and vinified to a fruit driven style, completely unwooded and unoaked. A combination of natural and controlled primary fermentation techniques are employed to construct a wine of great depth and complexity. Alcohol 12.5%

Mid straw colour. Clean and flavoursome with an abundance of tropical fruit flavours and aromas. A rich and generous easy drinking Chardonnay showing vigorous varietal characters complemented by a fresh clean finish. A white that would go nicely with smoked trout, fetta quiche or salmon fillets.

Brokenwood know about good Semillon and retain vineyards from which to collate the finest parcels for vinifying alongside harvests of splendid Sauvignon Blanc. An assemblage from hand picked sites in Cowra and the Hunter Valley, Orange, King Valley and McLaren Vale, named after the first block of Brokenwood vines ever planted, a local community cricket pitch which was acquired after a hotly contested auction against neighbouring Hungerford Hill.

$1499each $177DOZEN EACH DOZEN Harvests of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon from outside the Hunter Valley are processed to the primary juice stage before transport to the Brokenwood wineworks for fermentation and assemblage. This prelude to vinification ensures that the delicate grape and fruit aromas are preserved. Components are treated to a brisk temperature controlled fermentation to capture the clean varietal expression of fruit and retain freshness. A small portion is barrel fermented to add richness and complexity. Alcohol 12.0%

Bright pale yellow with green tints. Bouquet of citrus and Hunter Semillon lemongrass. Great aromas of lifted Sauvignon Blanc herbaceousness and lime/ hay notes. Some barrel ferment character adding subtle complexity and a further dimension to the palate. A fine acid structure provides length and liveliness to the finish. Enjoy with a whole baked barramundi or spicy Asian laksa.

What makes a great vintage for Hunter Valley Semillon? Most would say one without rain or drought. While this is certainly important, balance in the wine reigns supreme. Mid January always brings with it a slight nervousness in the Hunter Valley. Having been battered vintage after vintage with drought and pouring rain, is it any wonder that black cats are avoided and ladders given a wide berth?.

$1999each $237DOZEN EACH DOZEN Brokenwood's first vintage was a labour of love for the partners, friends and families conscripted to help. Grapes were carried to the winery in the back seat of Len Evans Bentley. Since then, the estate has learned to live with drought and adversity, and to nourish it's precious vines on a wing and a prayer. In 1982, Brokenwood extended its operations to include the jewel of the Hunter Valley and planted it's vineyards to Semillon. Harvesting is all done by hand, grapes are crushed, chilled and immediately pressed. Neutral yeasts are applied and the juices are inoculated for vinification in fermenters, unwooded and unoaked without any malolactic. Alcohol 11.0%

A beautiful luminous green hue. Distinctive Hunter lemongrass/ straw aromas with some sweet apple blossom characters on release. Sweet fruit flavours initially on the palate indicating perfect ripeness at harvest. Excellent acid structure, long flavours of lime and apple blossom. Perfect in its youth and a wine that will bottle age gracefully. To accompany Asian recipes and all good seafood especially oysters.

Charles Sturt University Winery is an integral part of Australia's leading wine and food science school, at the forefront of international best practice viticulture and vinification techniques. The winery focuses on excellence, using state of the art technology without sacrificing tradition. An immensely satisfying Chardonnay from grapes grown to the University vineyard, representing peerless value as it's exempt from statutory wine tax.

$1299each $153DOZEN EACH DOZEN Charles Sturt University Winery represents the same environment as other commercial Australian wineries. CSU provides stimulating training for those students fortunate enough to be employed through winery scholarship. Being a fully market driven operation, it produces the quality and style of wines that obtain ready acceptance from discerning wine consumers in the open market place. Wines made at the University have been awarded multiple trophies and hundreds of gold medals at national wine shows. Most of the Chardonnay is vinified under strict temperature controls to retain the fresh fruit flavours. A further component has been fermented in French oak for added complexity.

Pale straw yellow colour. Bouquet of pear, stonefruits and white nectarine. The palate is full and rounded with grapefruits and peach, lemon citrus and stonefruit flavours. The palate is lively and multi dimensional, offering not only very fine flavours but super texture and mouthfeel. Essentially a fruit driven wine with long crisp acid finish, a touch of complexity is derived from partial ferments in French oak.

A well balanced Chardonnay wine with ample palate texture, crisp grapefruit acidity and soft varietal stonefruit characters by one of the most distinguished winemakers in Hunter Valley. The vines were planted to soils and aspects where the excellent growing seasons and favourable ripening conditions yield grapes exhibiting splendid concentration. Nature has played a big part in contributing to the flavour profile of this generously proportioned Chardonnay, decidedly fruit driven with richly textured palate and lovely, lingering clean finish.

$1499each $177DOZEN EACH DOZEN Chardonnay is sourced from some of the most idyllically positioned vineyards in Hunter Valley. Fully ripe grapes are picked throughout the cooler temperatures of night, whole bunch pressed to retain freshness and preserve expression of the vineyard. The must is chilled and transferred to drainers, inoculated by aromatic yeast and fermented at cold temperatures to maximise varietal fruit character. Vinifications are finished off in French oak hogsheads, followed by a regimen of lees stirring throughout several months maturation to enrich the mid palate and add creamy texture. A portion is treated ta course of malolactic.

Pale straw colour. Peach, nectarine and fresh apricot notes on the bouquet with hints of rockmelon and nutty oak spice. Rich tropical fruits with red apple acidity and lingering spicy oak to the palate. Fine, delicate and persistent, the ripe, fleshy nectarine and melon expressions fill out the juicy, fleshy mouthfeel. Essential Chardonnay attributes of stonefruits and citrus dominate the flavour spectrum while hints of vanilla, lessy creamyness and lemon curd tantalize the taste buds. Drinking beautifully now alongside rack of pork, cinnamon apple and parsnip shards.

One wild and windy night as a group of explorers were crossing Wollombi brook, misfortune struck Cockfighter, the lead horse. He became bogged in river quicksand and drowned despite all efforts. A fateful night that gave birth to the legend of Cockfighter's Ghost. Hunter Valley Verdelho has made a name for itself as Australia's most distinctive style of unwooded dry white. Cockfighter's Ghost source fuit from vines which thrive in the sandy loam soils of Hunter Valley, to deliver a generous Verdelho wine with vibrant aromatics and vivid fruit flavours.

$1699each $201DOZEN EACH DOZEN The winemaking team at Cockfighter's Ghost endeavour to manage their vineyards in the most environmentally sustainable manner, to achieve stylish and popular pure varietal wines which can best represent the unique expressions of Hunter Valley's splendid terrior. The most exacting standards of viticulture are essential to retain the healthiest vines and ensure consistent yields of the finest fruit. Harvest takes place throughout the cool of night to retain maximum freshness. Grapes are delivered to the wineworks at Pokolbin for immediate crushing and pressing. Batches are racked and treated to a temperature controlled tank fermentation at 16°C, followed by a spell of cold settle and bottling.

Pale straw green colour. Lifted musk fruit aromas. Flavours of rockmelons and mango, guava and pineapple flow onto the palate, combining with fresh acidity to provide a dry and crisp, well balanced finish. A fresh, dry white for immediate enjoyment, an ideal aperitif or a perfect accompaniment to white fleshed meats and Asian cuisine.

Durif has been grown in the Riverina for many years where it produces strong heady wines with good colour, excellent tannins and exciting varietal fruit characters. A native of the Rhone Valley with a susceptibility to rot in cooler climes, De Bortoli's Durif is grown to sunny vineyards in the Riverina which favour the grape and stimulate the development piquant flavours. A medium bodied yet intense wine with upfront Durif complexity, supported by firm tannins and delicate oak.

$999each $11988/DOZ EACH DOZEN A generous vintage in terms of clean, ripe fruit with good depth of varietal expressiveness. Dry weather and warm sunny days with low crop levels resulted in wines of great flavour intensity. Fruit was selected by the winemakers on the basis of flavour and ripeness. The juice spent seven days on skins in forty tonne fermenters at temperatures between 25°C to 32°C. Vat 1 was handled in small parcels and treated to full malolactic fermentation. Maturation under a combination of American, French and Hungarian oaks for up to a year.

Deep crimson, inky purple hues. Aromas of spicy blackberries, black cherry fruit and toasted, savoury cedar oak . Lifted spices and chocolate bouquets. Palate is rich, with an abundance of blackberry, cherry and spice. The intense Durif flesh of this wine is rich with good varietal fruit and firm tannins. Toasted cedar oak with subtle vanillin overtones and firm structure, medium bodied with a good mouthfeel and a lingering palate. A good accompaniment to rich spicy meat dishes, venison and Osso Bucco. Durif is traditionally capable of long term development and will reward those who prefer to cellar.