Precise, Powerful, and Purely Tasmanian — One of Australia’s Greatest Chardonnays

Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay 2024 is a benchmark cool-climate white from the Coal River Valley in southern Tasmania. Crafted by Michael Hill Smith MW and Martin Shaw, this single-vineyard Chardonnay has achieved near-mythical status for its precision, tension, and mineral drive. The 2024 vintage continues the lineage,  a wine of stunning purity and length, seamlessly combining power with finesse.

Halliday Wine Companion - 98 Points

Ooh-boy the Tolpuddle Chardonnay is in a good place. I guess you could call this vintage a 'classic'. A little more restraint and line than the '23; a little more filigree and nuance, those flinty/struck-match tones a little further back in the mix and woven through the wine in an intricate pattern. White peach, lemon, grapefruit and nectarine fruits are high fidelity and beautifully poised, suffused with soft spice, clover and grapefruit blossom, crushed stone, cinnamon, a murmur of vanillin oak and spiced poached pear, grilled hazelnuts, crème fraîche and a whisper of onshore breeze. Everything is in sharp relief, with the purest of fruit. It's all detail and tension, with a textural glaze of grapefruit pith and a sapid, mineral line that builds like a crescendo before releasing, finishing long and true. It's a stunner. Dave Brookes

Tasting Notes

• Aroma: White peach, grapefruit, and lemon curd with hints of flint, hazelnut, and struck match complexity.

• Palate: Intense yet refined, showing crystalline citrus, stone fruit, and creamy texture supported by taut acidity.

• Finish: Long, linear, and saline, with lingering citrus zest and fine oak spice.

Food Pairing / Serving Suggestions

Perfect with grilled lobster, roasted chicken, or creamy pasta with truffle. Also pairs beautifully with soft-rind cheeses or seared scallops. Serve slightly chilled to reveal its layered complexity.

About the Winery

Established in 1988 and revitalised under Shaw + Smith ownership in 2011, Tolpuddle Vineyard has become a global icon of modern Australian Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Planted exclusively to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the vineyard’s cool maritime climate and ancient soils deliver fruit of exceptional intensity and balance. Winemaking is deliberately restrained, wild yeast fermentation, gentle lees stirring, and precision oak handling to capture the vineyard’s pure Tasmanian expression.

Cellaring Potential

A long-lived Chardonnay of world-class pedigree,  drink from 2026 through 2038 for full development and complexity.

Collector’s Note

Tolpuddle Chardonnay is consistently one of Australia’s most awarded Chardonnays, with previous vintages earning 99 points from Halliday Wine Companion, Top 100 Wine of the World (Wine Spectator), and Gold at the Decanter World Wine Awards. The 2024 vintage continues this remarkable streak, cementing Tolpuddle as a modern Australian Grand Cru.

Details

• Winery: Tolpuddle Vineyard

• Vintage: 2024

• Variety: Chardonnay

• Region: Coal River Valley, Tasmania, Australia

• Classification: Flagship Single Vineyard Cool-Climate Chardonnay

• Certifications: Sustainable Winegrowing Australia