2024 Dappled Appellation Chardonnay

94 pts
Delicious, full-flavoured yet perfectly poised Yarra Valley Chardonnay. One of the best buys in the region.

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Sale price$45.00
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Description

Shaun Crinion’s Appellation Chardonnay has quietly built a cult following as one of Australia’s best-value Chardonnays. The 2024 vintage is yet another feather in the cap - complex, classy and seriously good drinking for the price.

Sourced from a clever mix of upper and lower Yarra Valley sites — Macclesfield, Steels Creek, Seville and St Andrews — Shaun blends fruit from multiple clones (P58, I10V1, Dijon 76 & 95) to capture a complete picture of the region. The fruit is hand-picked, foot-crushed, gently pressed and wild fermented in a mix of old and new French oak. No stirring, no tricks, just careful, considered winemaking.

In the glass, it’s all white peach, lemon pith, cashew and struck flint. The palate strikes that sweet spot between texture and tension, finishing with a fine grapefruit snap that gives it real drive.

Elegant, balanced and sophisticated - this is modern Yarra Chardonnay with all the finesse and none of the fuss. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.

94+ points
"White peach, toasted hazelnuts, a light smoky struck match... pink grapefruit tang, a firm chalky grip to texture... complex. Tightly-coiled."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

94+ points - "There’s still a little bit left at cellar door, I see, and some at assorted retailers, so for once the review is timely. Not least because I jumped on a bottle for review via Different Drop yesterday. Also, what a good track record this wine has – HERE – which is all CM’s work, admittedly; his appellation is the Prince of Dappled. White peach, toasted hazelnuts, a light smoky struck match, lemon oil, mint and chamomile. It’s savoury and saline, quite umami in flavour, pink grapefruit tang, a firm chalky grip to texture, lemon zest and green olive on a finish of quite some zip and length. Complex. Tightly-coiled. Likely better again in a year or two. Excellent." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

Customer Reviews

Customer Reviews

Based on 6 reviews
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M
Michael M.
One of the best!

I don't have much to say...this is one of the best Chardys I've ever tasted.

Looking forward to the 2025 vintage release.

S
Sharon D.
We fight over this one.

Modern elegant Chardonnay. My favourite. His too.

R
Ryan
Entry level Yarra benchmark

Brilliant textured wine, setting a benchmark for entry level wines. Struck match, Flint is the first thing you notice before picking up the butter, almond meal, apple, pear. It’s like a fresh baked apple pie. Nice dash of citrus acidity rounds out the balance. Perfect wine for any occasion and an absolute steal at $30

E
Elinor B.
Dappled chardonnay

Delicious. Balanced lovely nose great flinty struck match. Very easy to drink ....

J
James M.
Good value

Still settling as a 2019 chardy but it was quite enjoyable - grapefruit, citrus fruit profile, good amount of gun flint reduction and medium bodied with some good oak influence. Will no doubt evolve further next 12-24 months

A blend of upper and lower Yarra Vineyards - Clones P58, I10V1 and Dijon clones 76 and 95 - from vineyards in St Andrews, Macclesfield, Steels Creek and Seville. All fruit is hand-picked and cooled overnight, followed by whole bunches being lightly crushed by foot before a long pressing when the un-sulphured juice is transferred straight to oak. The oak is a combination of 80% old and 20% new French Barriques, Puncheons and Demi-Muids. Ferments are allowed to start naturally (wild) and complete with no temperature control. The wine is not battonaged and left on lees for 10 months where some MLF may have occurred, but not encouraged, and SO2 is added when the wine is ready for it. The wine is lightly filtered before being bottled un-fined.

Tasting Notes:
Pale yellow in colour with a green hue, with aromas of white peach, citrus blossom, grilled cashew and toast - this is classic Yarra Valley Chardonnay! The palate shows delicious stone fruit flavours with texture and fullness. It’s all underpinned with a laser sharp pink grapefruit acid line, delivering an overall delicate, long and flavoursome wine. This will develop well into 5-8 years. Reminiscent of my 2018 Appellation Chardonnay.

Price Bracket $41 to $50
Type White
Body Full Bodied
Variety Chardonnay
Country Australia
Region Yarra Valley
Australian State VIC
Reviewed By The Wine Front
Critic Score 94
Alcohol 13%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure Screw Cap

Dappled Wines

Dappled owner/winemaker Shaun Crinion has a mountain of winemaking experience from around the globe, culminating with the establishment of a label all of his own.

Shaun's focus is on expressing the sub-regionality of the Yarra Valley through simply gorgeous Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and a growing range of experimental wines.

With the combination of Shaun's A-grade fruit from the Yarra's top growers and his precise, astute winemaking, the value on offer in the Dappled range is second to none.

He was James Halliday's Best New Winery in 2018. The wines have only stepped in quality since then though the modest pricing remains the same. Unsurprisingly, his wines sell out in short order each year. He's now regarded as one of the best small-scale producers in the modern Yarra Valley.

Winemaker Shaun Crinion - Yarra Valley, VIC Dappled Wines

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