Crittenden Estate 'Peninsula' Chardonnay is a fragrant, tropical, buttery beaut!  It is a chardonnay that has the desirable balance of fresh acidity, texture and fruit flavour.  On the nose there are stone fruits, sweet spice, figs, cinnamon like spice and ripe melons.  On the palate there is a great deal of flavour backed by savouriness and acidity.  An underlying citrus core keeps this wine developing in flavour and helps you truly appreciate the elegant minerality.  This is an excellent food wine.

Try Crittenden Estate 'Peninsula' Chardonnay with a variety of seafood dishes, white meats and well-seasoned, well-herbed foods.  More specifically if you like, the winemakers notes suggest prawn and zucchini linguine (yes we know it's a courgette in the UK but the poetry of "zucchini linguine" was too good not to copy), frittata, spring pea and thyme risotto, tempura.

About the Producer

Garry Crittenden was the first vintner to see the potential of the Mornington Peninsula as a thriving wine region.  His first modest five acres more than doubled the area under vine in the region and since those first plantings in 1982, his commitment to the region has seen the Mornington Peninsula flourish to world recognition.

Garry was also the first winemaker in Australia to commercialise Italian wine varieties. Throughout his time on the Peninsula, he’s introduced new grape varietals such as Barbera, Nebbiolo, Dolcetto and Sangiovese to Victoria and Australia.

The second Crittenden generation, siblings Rollo and Zoe, both grew up among the family’s vines. These days they have embraced and taken on the family business with Rollo controlling the winemaking and general management and Zoe taking care of all of the marketing, allowing their father Garry to move into (semi!) retirement.

Vineyard and Winery

From soil health, to compost, to solar energy, to recycled water, to sewerage to bees the Crittenden Estate has established first rate systems of sustainability and care for the environment for which they have received high praise and recognition.

The picked grapes are whole bunch pressed for additional freshness.  The juice is then barrel fermented using wild yeasts. Once ready the wine ages for 8 months in French oak barrels and is filtered prior to bottling.