Discover our Passel Estate Chardonnay

Elegant, textural, and expressive, the Passel Estate Chardonnay is a classic, premium Margaret River Chardonnay. Crafted in small batches from single-vineyard, estate-grown fruit, this wine balances citrus brightness with stone fruit richness, layered by subtle oak complexity. This is a fine example of a Margaret River Chardonnay, reflecting the region’s world-class reputation for the varietal.

Current Release: 2023 Chardonnay

Shop our 2023 Chardonnay
Price: $46 per bottle (750ml)

Vintage Notes

A cold winter allowed our vines to enjoy full dormancy, then a wet spring nourished the soil water reserves for the growing season. Sustained warm conditions moderated with night-time cooling from the ocean breezes, from ripening through to harvest, enabled the generous aromas and outstanding flavour development which define Margaret River. The lack of summer rains yielded beautifully balanced vines, with clean, healthy fruit. It also impacted the summer forage, meaning we had to net the vines despite low bird pressure to keep the hungry kangaroos away. The resulting wines show the vitality and energy of this amazing growing season.

Winemaking Notes

Our Chardonnay fruit was harvested in the early hours of the morning, loaded into the press cold, and gently separated from its skins. The very slightly cloudy juice was cold settled for a day and then racked. Fermentation took place in French oak barriques, 35% of which were new. The wine was then left to mature in barrel on its lees for 10 months, with bâttonage occurring every 2 weeks.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Light green with straw hints in colour
Bouquet: Aromas of white and yellow nectarines, lime leaf and curd, with hints of untoasted cashew, cinnamon and crème brûlée.
Palate: Fine tendrils of natural acidity provide a brisk, succulent introduction to a palate laced with grapefruit, white pears and yellow nectarine. Gentle spices and wafts of saline introduce an elegance and poise to the intense stone-fruit-driven palate; finishing bracing, fresh and moreish

Food Pairing Suggestions

– Roast chicken with garlic, lemon and herbs
– Creamy pasta with lobster, prawns or freshwater marron
– Soft white cheese such as the triple cream brie we often serve in our Classical Wine & Cheese Tasting

This wine offers both sophistication and versatility, making it an ideal companion for everything from casual mid-week dinner to special celebrations.

Cellaring & Serving Suggestions

The Passel Estate 2023 Chardonnay can be enjoyed now for its vibrancy or cellared 5–8 years to develop in creamy richness and complexity.

– Serve only lightly chilled (10–14°C) to highlight the wine’s depth of flavour and texture.
– Cellaring potential: Expect further complexity of flavour, nutty richness and creamy elegance  to develop over time.

Awards & Reviews

The Passel Estate Chardonnay has earned a consistent string of gold and silver medals with each vintage released.  Here are a selection of awards and praised garnered for the 2023 Passel Estate Chardonnay:

95 Points, Ray Jordan, West Australian Wine Review 2026: “This is a first-rate chardonnay from this excellent season, and it may well be the best yet from Passel Estate. On the nose, you open with what is fairly typical of the region, with its strong grapefruit, cut pear, and lime nuances, then a nutty, spicy character adding immediate aromatic complexity. It’s a textured wine with good weight in the middle palate, great balance and poise, but there’s a brightness and minerally energy that sustains a very long finish. The palate is where this wine really hits its straps because there’s a fine touch of subtle French oak, which you can pick up initially on the nose, but then it delivers on the palate.”

Silver medal (94 Points), International Wine & Spirit Competition 2025

91 Points, The Vintage Journal, Margaret River Guide 2026: “Here, peaches and cream meet lemon drop. Hints of tea tree and cold peach tea. Acidity is steep with some grapefruit oil lingering. A wine that is showing some subtle spice and honeysuckle on the finish. Drink now with some Balmain bug meat tossed through linguine.”

91 Points, Stuart Knox, The Real Review: “Pale lemon, ripe nectarine and bacon fat aromas. Nectarine and lemon balm on entry, lime leaf and roast hazelnut adding savoury detail. Long and lifted by fine acidity, finishing fresh.”

4 Stars, Fergal Gleeson, Great Wine Blog: “Passel Estate’s easy sophistication is on show in the 2023 Chardonnay. It’s a pale, white gold in colour. The flavours are grapefruit, lime and nectarine. The 30% new oak is well handled, adding volume and texture. There’s also a creamy character that makes this wine slide down easily. It’s the balance of freshness and generosity of flavour that showcase the winemaking quality. Right in the vanguard of contemporary Australian Chardonnay.”

Why Choose Passel Estate’s Chardonnay?

Passel Estate’s Margaret River Chardonnay reflects its gentle provenance and craft. Recognised among the best Chardonnay in Margaret River, it’s both a collector’s choice and a wine to share with friends or on special occasions; it embodies boutique luxury and highlights the diversity and pedigree of the region.

The Global Reputation of Margaret River Chardonnay

Margaret River Chardonnay is celebrated worldwide for its unique balance of richness and precision. The region’s maritime climate, ancient soils, and long, even ripening season create ideal conditions for producing Chardonnays with intensity of flavour, fine natural acidity, and remarkable longevity.

Unlike wines from warmer regions of Australia, Chardonnay from Margaret River typically combines vibrant citrus and stone fruit with a savoury, mineral edge. Subtle use of French oak adds texture and complexity, while careful winemaking preserves elegance and freshness.

While many styles are enjoyed young for their vibrancy, the region also excels at producing wines that reward careful aging. At Passel Estate, our museum release Chardonnays showcase how time in the cellar develops extra layers of creamy richness, savoury depth, and textural finesse.

For collectors and wine lovers, these limited-release museum Chardonnays are a rare opportunity to experience small-batch Chardonnay from Margaret River at its peak maturity.