Lake's Folly Chardonnay 2017

Chardonnay arrived at Lake's Folly in 1969, six years after Max Lake first planted his famously contrarian Cabernet Sauvignon at Pokolbin, and it's since grown to sit alongside the Cabernets as the estate's second flagship — together, the only two wines this famously minimalist producer makes. Since 2000, ownership has rested with the Fogarty family, with Hunter-born winemaker Rod Kempe carrying forward exactly the same restrained, terroir-first philosophy Lake established: low-yielding, hand-picked estate fruit, barrel-fermented in French oak with a considered portion of new wood (typically a quarter to a third, varying by vintage), and around eight months of lees contact to build texture without ever masking the site.

The result is Hunter Valley Chardonnay at its most classically composed: pear, white peach, and lemon curd meet grapefruit, spice, and a flinty, struck-match complexity, with cashew, almond meal, and brioche notes building through the mid-palate from the lees work. It's medium-bodied and creamy in texture, yet carried by bright, focused acidity and real mineral drive that keeps it precise rather than heavy, finishing long and saline. Critics have repeatedly scored recent vintages in the mid-90s, and it's a wine built for genuine cellaring — many releases continue developing gracefully for eight to fifteen years, taking on marzipan, mushroom, and "sweaty saddle" complexity that's become something of a Hunter Valley signature with real age.