Winemaker Notes
Very pale straw in color, this wine offers an amalgam of aromatics working in harmony -- primarily yellow stone fruit (nectarine) and honeydew melon with soft pistachio nougat (and, enchantingly/unexpectedly from this white grape variety, blueberry!). Barely recognizable savory French oak imparts a sensitive touch to sign off on a complex and appealing nose. A soft and delicate mouth coating/laminated acidity fills out the palate and gently conveys the fermented spoils of Adelaide Hills Chardonnay. The wine shows a citrus edge, with lime splice and finger lime sweetness. It also offers enticing teacake sponge flavors varietally laced with finely grated lemon zest.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This complex and attractive chardonnay has a neat core of white peaches, pears and honeydew melon with a refined, dry and layered palate. Long, fresh, peach and lemon finish. Drink now. Screw cap.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Chardonnay Max’s is packaged in an interesting grey wrap which might look good on a shelf but does make opening the bottle a pain (the Cabernet Sauvignon Max’s is even worse). The wine, however, is rock solid, with ripe notes of melon, mango, and honeyed grapefruit all giving way to a medium-bodied, vibrant, racy white that has loads of appeal. It’s unquestionably worth the going rate.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2017 Penfolds Max's Chardonnay is delicious, balanced, and supple. TASTING NOTES: This wine exhibits appealing aromas and flavors of mineral, sandalwood, and ripe fruit. Pair it with pan-seared sea scallops and wild mushrooms. (Tasted: March 21, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
Since 1844, Penfolds has been grounded in experimentation, curiosity and uncompromising quality. Their success has been driven by a lineage of visionary winemakers. It began with Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold, the pioneers who dreamed big, inventing tonics, brandies, and fortified wines made from grapes and Australian sunshine. It continued with celebrated winemaking legends including Max Schubert, who pushed the development to extraordinary, bold new heights. It is this pioneering spirit and curiosity that still rings true after nearly two centuries, it is what has helped Penfolds become one of the most celebrated winemakers in the world today.
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.
A narrow band of hills and valleys east of the city of Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills region is a diverse landscape featuring a variety of microclimates. In general it is moderate with high-altitude areas cooler and wetter compared to its warmer, lower areas.
Piccadilly Valley, the part of Adelaide Hills closest to the city, was first staked out by a grower named Brian Croser, in the 1970s for a cool spot to grow Chardonnay, then uncommon in Australia. Today a good amount of the Chardonnay goes to winemakers outside of the region.
Producers here experiment with other cool-climate loving aromatic varieties like Pinot Gris, Viognier and Riesling. Charming sparkling wine is also possible. On its north side, lower, west-facing slopes make full-bodied Shiraz.