Penfolds : Bin 311 Chardonnay 2023

Grilled banana and crushed nuts, white beach sand and brine dominate the aromatics of this 2023 Bin 311 Chardonnay. On the palate, the wine is complex and creamy, with a citrus line of acid that cuts through the almost opulent fruit in the mouth. It doesn't quite get to melons and cumquat, but it nudges those riper ideas. There's an opulence and width to this release, yet the acidity keeps it on track. The wine matured for eight months in French barriques (21% new). It has 13% alcohol, a pH of 3.17 and 6.7 grams per liter of total acidity. Sealed under screw cap.

Confident and poised, this is a big-bodied Chardonnay that stops short of being either blowsy or bloated. The entry is fruit-forward, which translates to a complex flavor meld of lemon zest and grapefruit offset by honeysuckle and nougat. The mid-palate texture has a rich creaminess, tapered by a tasty savory note that adds a keen edge to the fruitiness. Stepping away from the lithe modern Oz style of Chardonnay, this is purposely fleshy and more fulsome — a style well suited to a few years of cellaring.

This 2023 Chardonnay Bin 311 has some upfront grunt, delivering a solid serve of compact nectarine and peach-skin aromas wrapped in well-managed yet prominent French oak, with a neat little kick of gunflint. The palate then pulls back a touch from the initial promise and tightens to restrained nutty and melon flavors. A good effort for the vintage.

Chief winemaker Peter Gago informed me that the 2023 Bin 311 Chardonnay was sourced from Tasmania, Adelaide Hills, and Tumbarumba, also sharing that it includes some declassified Yattarna. It swans out of the glass with showy notes of honey-drizzled pears, fresh, juicy peaches, and beeswax, followed by hints of marzipan and crème brûlée. The medium-bodied palate is racy and refreshing but doesn’t scrimp on flavor intensity, delivering loads of stone-fruit flavors and a zesty lift on the finish. It was aged for 8 months in French oak barriques, 21% new.