New Release Chardonnay – June 2026
Despite the quality and success of their pinots, following the release of the 2025 vintage, I am convinced that chardonnay is the best wine that Picardy produces. Especially when value comes into the equation.
A New World chardonnay that tips its hat to Burgundy.
Not to be outdone, Singlefile has produced another superb wine with the 2025 Family Reserve Chardonnay. Even more remarkable is the quality of the more affordable Great Southern chardonnay. Delicious, uncomplicated drinking!
Reviewed
Picardy – Chardonnay – 2025. This is a sophisticated wine. Complex and with a degree of richness, yet still with admirable restraint. The length of flavours is outstanding. Stone fruit characters are the key theme running through the wine, with the winemaking influences presenting as a delicious creaminess that runs the length and breadth of the palate, thanks to the high-quality oak and supple lees work. But with air, complex almond and apricot kernel characters really build. A powerful wine that challenges preconceptions about just how good Pemberton chardonnay can be. Great now. Balanced, complex and with a degree of subtlety, this is a New World chardonnay tipping its hat to Burgundy. 13.0% alc | 95.5pts | $65.00.
Howard Park – Chardonnay – 2024. This is altogether more precise and focused, with the stone-fruit notes complemented by complexity-building nutty/mealy components. The pineapple-infused acidity is a core feature of the wine, adding great life and energy. It also serves to cut through the richness on the palate and will be a great asset when it comes to pairing this with food. Excellent length and persistence. A lovely wine now, but one that will be even better in five years. 13.0% alc | 95pts | $72.00.
Singlefile – Family Reserve – Chardonnay – 2025. Another cracking wine and this is, if anything, even finer and more elegant than the last. It has the same quality and intensity; however, here, the white nectarine characters are supported by subtle citrus notes. There is also a degree of minerality that comes through from the acidity. What really sets this apart is the way the fruit continues to build on the palate long after the wine has gone, with cascades of flavours flowing across the palate. The seamless finish rounds out what is a very special wine. But it will benefit from several years in the cellar, as this has been made in a tightly wound style.
The fruit was whole-bunch pressed into oak (one-third new, the remainder one year old) from four different coopers for fermentation and then aged for eight months, with some barrels undergoing malolactic fermentation. Weekly bâtonnage was carried out for the first five months. 13.4% alc | 96pts | $65.00.
Singlefile – Great Southern – Chardonnay – 2025. More obvious and straightforward, in a very good way. Here is a well-made, approachable chardonnay that has plenty of varietal characters, with subtle winemaking inputs adding texture and depth. The minerality on the palate is a defining feature and one that is a real addition. That this is not as dense or complex as the others here is not a bad thing at all. It makes for a versatile, approachable wine that is easy to enjoy in a variety of situations. Instantly appealing. The fruit for this wine was picked in three parcels over a two-week period and the wine was aged in Burgundian oak (25% new) for six months, with weekly lees stirring for the first four months. 13.7% alc | 94pts | $35.00.