Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I remember judging at a major wine show in Western Australia in 2016 and seeing a very large bracket of Western Australian Chardonnays from the 2015 vintage. I was staggered but the power and concentration of them as a group, and it is an impression that has left an indelible mark upon my assessment of the vintage since then. This 2015 Kevin John Chardonnay has penetrating acidity that spears through the heart of the opulent fruit in the mouth, with yellow peach and singed mango in abundance. The spice register carries across from ginger, cardamom, saffron and pepper, making for an altogether savory, nutty style of wine. 2015 had a bit of the magic swirling about it, and while most of the Chardonnays produced in the season in Margaret River are concentrated, some are extra elevated above the pack. This is one of those. For those interested, the wine has a pH of 3.5, total acidity of 8.0 grams and 13.7% alcohol.
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Wine & Spirits
This wine’s golden color, the broad scents of toasted lees and the golden-raisin flavors all imply a superripe wine. Instead, that full-bodied richness comes across as generosity, the flavors carefully keyed so that, with time, the tension and freshness of the wine come to the fore, transforming what, on the surface, appeared to be late-season ripeness to a cool, crisp yellow-apple flavor of autumn. Vanya Cullen worked with her mother, Diana, to convert the family’s vineyards to organic viticulture in 1998; she then gained biodynamic certification in 2004. The care she shows in growing and making this wine comes through in its active presence in the glass.
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James Suckling
A dense and fruity white with cooked apple, peach and vanilla aromas and flavors. Full body, layered and rich. Very flavorful and intense. You like the richness. Go for this.
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Wine Spectator
Intense and bold, offering a spicy mouthful of buttery brioche, marmalade and lemon curd notes. Rich and creamy, with plenty of acidity to keep the flavors fresh and lively. Drink now through 2023.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
Home to some of Australia’s most elegant and long-lived red and white wines, Margaret River is situated in the farthest reaches of Western Australia. Relatively warm and dry, the region is cooled by breezes from the Indian Ocean. Margaret River takes some inspiration from Bordeaux, producing top-quality Cabernet Sauvignons and Bordeaux Blends with firm structure, mouthwatering acidity, balanced alcohol and notes of herbs and spice. For white wines, refreshing blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon as well as complex, age-worthy Chardonnays are regional specialties.