McWilliams (Henwood Estate), Chardonnay, 2003

From the bottle, the McWilliams is produced from grapes harvested in South Eastern Australia. This chardonnay is 13.5 percent alcohol by volume and should be good with grilled salmon steak or rosted chicken.

Where did I find it: Fry’s.

What did I pair it with: Assortment of nuts and cheeses

Appearance: Light golden yellow

Smell: Honeydew melon

Taste: Dried toast and vanilla

Price: $11.69
Quality rating: 86/100
Value rating: 47.28/60

Takeaway: This wine was slightly surprising, though perhaps I’ll now put more stock into the Sidney Wine Show competition trophies – if you like toasty chardonnays, you’ll like this. It wasn’t overly oaky, just enough to malolactic fermentation to ease the bite. At this price, it isn’t shabby. Drink up!