Margaret River Chardonnay is among the best in the world – here’s why

At this month-long exhibition, industry professionals gathered from across the globe – sommeliers, journalists, reviewers, and the like. During such trips, you choose your timing wisely and make sure to corner each attendee for gossip and insider knowledge on their specialty.

Normally, people who know I live in Margaret River want to talk Cabernet Sauvignon – the old stuff – and the Cape Mentelle Cabernet Challenge.

Sure, there were nods to Franklin River, new producers, and alt-variety, but mostly? Margaret River Chardonnay. Cue the impassioned rants. After all, this is one of my favourite topics.

These near-daily chats got me thinking – with such a diversity of styles in the regions, what is that common thread –  that  je ne sais quoi that makes Margaret River chardonnay so uniquely of place?

Stuck pondering, knowing there’s no definitive answer, I asked the region’s leading chardonnay voices what they think makes these wines so iconic, internationally acclaimed, and inherently Margaret River.

Here’s what they had to say.

“The current style of Chardonnay in Margaret River is more based on a philosophy of farming the fruit and harvesting at quite moderate levels of ripeness. This ensures the grapes have beautiful perfumes and can attain their natural acidities and balances.

Embracing the natural balance of the fruit always makes for approachable wines. Part of the challenge is picking at the right level of ripeness for the style, and then carrying the fruit through to the finished wine without having to overwork it.”

“In three words, Margaret River Chardonnay is powerful, precise, and pure.

Across the region, you’ll find a range of styles, but one thing ties them all together: intention. The Gin-Gin [grapevine] clone takes centre stage, bringing a trademark power and focus to the wines. Every bottle feels crafted with purpose, and that’s no accident — the commitment to viticulture here is second to none.

What’s most distinctive, though, is the ocean’s signature. A subtle, saline edge runs through every wine — a whisper of the sea that is unmistakably Margaret River.”

“Chardonnay is one of the most complex and gorgeous varieties that takes on its environment, the Queen of white grapes. Many people talk about it as a ‘chameleon variety.’ You put that Chardonnay juice in an environment and it takes on the flavour and structure of that environment.

Margaret River had most fortuitous introduction to Chardonnay with a clone so perfectly suited to this climate. With such intensity and amazing power in natural fruit quality we are able to incorporate so much complexity in our house style. The winemaker can choose the house fermentation style and the wine will show the quality.

When you drive through and taste Chardonnay from many different producers, you have such an array of style, from the elegant tight lines, always complex; right through to the more powerful, very full-bodied, beautiful, deep, rich Chardonnay. So you can always find your style here.”

“Being a young region, Margaret River has tried to copy other regions that have found success and danced around with different trends, but like the Cabernets, Margaret River has found a sweet spot, and that’s showing in the recent accolades that local wineries are achieving on a global stage.

Another thing I will add is that the quality of winemakers here is exceptional, and it’s no secret that Margaret River Chardonnay is the chosen varietal amongst them all. No matter who you ask, young, old, traditional, or innovative, 99% of them will answer Chardonnay as their favourite wine.

Also, if you want to win best wine in the world from Margaret River, your best chance will most likely be from a Chardonnay or Cabernet, and I think that creates a great, healthy, competitive environment.”

“Consistency, quality and power are the three words that spring to mind when it comes to Margaret River Chardonnay. There is no unique flavour profile that makes us so special, we are all making different individual site expressive chardonnays.

What we do have in common, though, is the intensity of those flavours and a saline minerality that we can harness from our fruit, making us one of the best chardonnay regions of the world.

With such fruit intensity, it gives winemakers the foundation to build complexity and intrigue from fermentation and oak selection – with all these nuances we create in the winery, purity of fruit always shines through, so we can push the boundaries.”