As loyal followers of this Blog are aware your scribe has been impressed by the outstanding quality of Australian Chardonnay. Several recent references have been posted here including Ask Sid on October 22, 2025, titled “Underrated Wine Region for Top Quality Chardonnay,” and on June 2, 2025, titled “Shaw + Smith Are Expressing Adelaide Hills in Australia with Vibrant Modern Classic Wines.” However, wine quality is improving right across Australia’s many regions. My good old friend from the nineties Mark Davidson, was formerly the talented sommelier in Vancouver at the William Tell Restaurant (with one of the great restauranteurs Erwin Doebeli). Mark was honoured as Sommelier of the Year in 2001 & Spirited Industry Professional in 2014 (a year after yours truly) by @VanWineFest, and he is now doing a terrific job as Head of Education Development – Americas for wineaustralia.com. On February 19, 2026, Mark was in town to provide an informative update on the diverse Victoria region to the wine trade at Vancouver Urban Winery. At his seminar, he spotlighted and explained seven distinct sub-regions within Wine Victoria (out of twenty-one shown on the map), offering valuable wine insights. Frost has been a recent troubling issue in Australia with late 2024 and 2025 (October) resulting in consecutive smaller harvests. Afterward, there was a plethora of wines to taste from the region, including mostly Yarra Valley sub-region selections like the Fontaine label from Dominique Portet (I still have a bottle of his amazing 1978 Taltarni Cabernet Sauvignon) and Ben Portet’s Chardonnay (13% ABV) & Cabernets (a blend of 60% CS, 29% M, 6% Malbec, 5% CF at 13.5% ABV), both from the 2024 vintage. The main event with brief comments:
2021 JAYDEN ONG ONE BLOCK CHARDONNAY, YARRA VALLEY: Chardonnay remains Australia’s largest white wine variety, but its overall volume decreased by 13% due to frost in 2025. This organically farmed Chardonnay from the admirable Yarra Valley is from the exceptional, cooler, and balanced 2021 vintage and shows well after about four years of bottle age. Mark mentioned how different the Australian Chardonnay style is from the “big, rich, Tyrrell award-winning Chardonnays of the seventies & eighties.” Your scribe remembers well when in 1971 Murray Tyrrell started Vat 47 Chardonnay using Hunter Valley fruit. Mark noted, “How different they are now and the key to making top Australian Chardonnay is managing ripeness.” Lovely start to this tasting with a good showing by my favourite white grape variety, Chardonnay.”
2018 TAHBILK MUSEUM MARSANNE, NAGAMBIE LAKES: Old Marsanne vines from historic Tahbilk, dating back to the 1860s, are grown in a continental climate 120 kilometres north of Melbourne in Nagambie Lakes. Mark “likes the structure and continuing success of aged Marsanne.” Still so young at 8 years of age – a treasure!
2024 KOOYONG MASSALE PINOT NOIR, MORNINGTON PENINSULA: Big fan of Aussie Pinot Noir from various regions (the 2024 Tolpuddle from Tasmania is outstanding and so much improved). The Mornington Peninsula sub-region is under the radar with this ideal site at elevation on volcanic soil. Only 10% new oak but 12% whole bunch fermentation. Like the fresh, lighter, pure Pinot Noir signature. What a good value!
2019 CASTAGNA UN SEGRETO, BEECHWORTH: Mineral rich hills of Beechworth – remember Mick Jagger playing Australian bushranger Ned Kelly in the film? This blended wine, composed of 60% Sangiovese and 40% Shiraz, spent 22 months in French oak (35% new), showing mid-range fullness and refreshing acidity.
2023 MOUNT LANGI GHIRAN CLIFF EDGE SHIRAZ, GRAMPIANS: Cool climate mountains yield more elegant fruit from older replanted Shiraz vines dating back to 1969. Mark stated, “Another mid-range example of Shiraz – so different from the big full Barossa style.”
2022 BLUE PYRENEES RICHARDSON CABERNET SAUVIGNON, PYRENEES: Another cooler region “in the middle of nowhere,” grows Cabernet Sauvignon from 30 year old vines on sandy soils. Mark found both bottles “a little corky,” but they cleared somewhat in the glass. Another expression of Cab Sauv so different from the popular Terra Rossa red clay soil of Coonawarra.
NV PFEIFFER CLASSIC MUSCAT, RUTHERGLEN: Fortified Muscat was a non-vintage blend but a big group favourite! Outstanding Muscat definition. So luscious and intensely delicious. We need more of these unique Australian dessert wines in our North American market. Like the 100 year Para Tawny Port liqueur 1925 from Seppeltsfield just released. Your scribe remembers buying the last 5 cases of the 1933 vintage for the 50th Anniversary of the International Wine & Food Festival held in Vancouver in 1983 which was truly superb. Now 50 years later it is still outstanding at 100. These higher sugar “stickies,” like this Rutherglen Muscat have raisiny complex flavours from long barrel aging. Wonderful finish.
We are fortunate to have Mark returning for another Trade Seminar in Vancouver at our 47th #VIWF this month on March 13 at 9:30 am at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Sponsored by Wine Australia, the seminar will feature “Classic & Contemporary Australia,” showcasing 9 wines. Among the top quality choices is Tyrrell’s 2017 Vat 1 Hunter Semillon, one of the world’s greatest wines. The first vintage, produced in 1963, came from grapes grown and always early picked on Tyrrell’s Short Flat Vineyard, resulting in high acidity and low alcohol. It ages amazingly well—it seems timeless. Get your tickets. Many thanks Mark Davidson!
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