Another example of how Hills Chardonnay spreads its desirability around. Ben Cooke is based at a Port Elliot cellar door and winery shared with partner Charlotte Hardy (Charlotte Dalton Wines) while tapping into select vineyards he knows and loves in several SA regions. Hence Chardonnay and the Deanery Vineyard outside Balhannah. This wine ticks many of the modern stylistic boxes: wild fermented, full malolactic fermentation, a year in French oak puncheons (a mid-large format barrel), 50% new. The joy here is the single site capture: a grassy note, then tangy apple and lime, with mouthwatering texture underlying.  Very expressive of both site and intentional winemaking focus.

Alc/Vol: 13.0%