2024 Single Vineyard Hexham Chardonnay
Citrus, grapefruit, and melon bouquet is supported by ‘struck match’ and
brioche character. A zesty melon and citrus palate wound together with subtle new oak and silky creaminess, finishing long and fresh and zesty.
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[2023 Vintage] - 95 Points | Gold Medal at 2024 International Cool Climate Wine Show
[2022 Vintage] – 92 Points | Silver Medal and Trophy for People’s Choice at 2023 International Cool Climate Wine Show
[2021 Vintage] – Bronze Medal, 2022 James Halliday Australian Chardonnay & Cabernet Challenge
[2021 Vintage] – 93 Points by Nick Stock for JamesSuckling.com, July 2022
[2021 Vintage] – 96 Points | Gold Medal at 2022 International Cool Climate Wine Show
[2021 Vintage] – Gold Medal at European Wine Challenge 2022
[2021 Vintage] – 91 Points by Campbell Mattinson, The WineFront, June 2022
[2021 Vintage] – Silver Medal, 90 Points at Decanter World Wine Awards 2022
[2021 Vintage] – 90 Points at Wines of Victoria Wine Show | Winestate Magazine, Jul/Aug 2022
[2020 Vintage] – Double Gold at 2021 Melbourne International Wine Competition
[2020 Vintage] – 90 Points by Jane Faulkner, 2022 Halliday Wine Companion
[2020 Vintage] – 92 Points by Amanda Yallop, The Real Review, April 2021
[2019 Vintage] – Gold Medal at 2021 European Wine Challenge
[2019 Vintage] – 93 Points by Nick Stock for JamesSuckling.com, October 2020
[2019 Vintage] – 93 Points by Campbell Mattinson, 2021 Halliday Wine Companion
[2019 Vintage] – 96 Points by Stuart Knox, The Real Review, March 2020
[2018 Vintage] – 92 Points by Huon Hooke, The Review Review March 2020
[2018 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2019 ANZ Boutique Wine Show
[2018 Vintage] – Bronze Medal at Yarra Valley Wine Show2019
[2018 Vintage] – 92 Points by James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion 2020
[2018 Vintage] – Bronze Medal at Melbourne International Wine Show 2019
[2017 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2018 James Halliday Chardonnay Challenge
[2017 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2018 Japan Wine Competition
[2017 Vintage] – 94 Points by James Halliday, 2019 Halliday Wine Companion
[2017 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2018 Melbourne International Wine Competition
[2017 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2018 Decanter World Wine Awards
[2017 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2018 International Cool Climate Wine Show
[2017 Vintage] – Bronze Medal at 2018 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards
[2016 Vintage] – 91 Points from Andrew Graham – Oz Wine Review (2018)
[2016 Vintage] – 93 Points from Gourmet Traveller Magazine (2018)
[2016 Vintage] – Best Wine, Best White, and Best Chardonnay at 2017 International Cool Climate Wine Show
[2016 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2017 International Wine & Spirit Competition
[2016 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2017 Royal Queensland Food & Wine Show
[2016 Vintage] – Bronze Medal at 2017 Decanter World Wine Awards
[2016 Vintage] – 93 Points by Ralph Kyte-Powell (2017)
[2016 Vintage] – 96 Points by Huon Hooke
[2016 Vintage] – 92 Points by Campbell Mattinson
[2015 Vintage] – 95 Points by James Halliday, 2018 Halliday Wine Companion
"Barrel fermented with natural yeasts and matured in both French barriques and puncheons. Partial mlf. A bright green gold. A well-defined and complex nose with scents of ripe stone fruits, honeydew melon, lightly grilled nuts and a touch of flint. And while this is rich and mouth-filling on entry, it's also nicely structured, with a fine bead of acidity threaded throughout. Very good already with its best still yet to come over the next three to four years. 96 Points."
Philip Rich for Halliday Wine Companion, March 2025 [2024 Vintage]
"Soumah offers a tale of two Yarra Valley Chardonnays from the cooler 2024 vintage. Each brings a distinct personality to the glass. Hexham is in Gruyere, on the north face of the Warramate Hills, and planted to a mix of the Mendoza (GinGin) and Burgundy clones. The ’24 was wild fermented in French oak (18% new) and matured on lees for eight months. A sunny and bright fragrance in notes of sea spray with citrus, ripe peach, nectarine, quince paste, baked bread and biscuit, vanillin spices. Sets in deep on the palate, concentrated and complex, offering weight and texture. Ferment-derived characters meld with sun ripened fruits and vanillin oak enlivened by a ginger spiciness, especially on the finish. Luxuriant and full flavoured with well-measured acidity. 95 Points."
Jeni Port for WinePilot, October 2025 [2024 Vintage]
"After a bumpy finish to the 2023 year, this vintage actually turned out pretty damn well in the Yarra Valley. After barrel fermentation with all wild yeast, the wine was matured on lees and a combination of barriques and puncheons for about eight months. A little secondary fermentation added the depth and complexity that you might expect. On the nose is a creamy brioche butterscotch combination with a little melon and nectarine. The palate builds intensity, showing a lovely balance of oak and fruit, and good length and persistence. It’s a mighty good chardonnay from a mighty good vintage. 95 Points."
Ray Jordan for WinePilot, September 2025 [2024 Vintage]
"Wild fermented and into 18% new French oak. Backyard lemon skin, yellow apples and cooked quince. A heady mix of sparkler flint and wood ash, with the delights of a savoury spice box. Ground cumin, ginger and fennel seed. There is a wild ride of acidity, steep but gradually so and with controlled driving force. Churned butter creaminesses and a raw cashew nuttiness on the finish. There is something for everyone in this single vineyard release, for those that love Chardonnay you’ll be sure to find what you are looking for and pleasantly surprised by its long flavour palate. Ideal with crumbed and stuffed squid hoods. Drink now or will cellar well, intensifying those powdered spices in the next 3-5 years. 93 Points"
Shenteh Wale for WinePilot, September 2025 [2024 Vintage]
"A both powerful and lifted aromatic aesthetic. Grilled nectarine, melon, grilled nuts, lemon pith and rind. Air unlocks some leesy dough notes adding interest and complexity, and there’s a substratum of cedar present throughout. The palate is round and textural with good concentration – fine cedar, grilled nuts, peach skin, Meyer lemon, melon. The acid shines here, living up to its important role of curtailing any heft. It’s pithy, firm and elongating – resulting in good length and a vigorous finish. 93 Points."
Tom Kline for WinePilot, October 2025 [2024 Vintage]
"Complete and fragrant aromas of grapefruit pith, white flowers, nougat, just-ripe white stone fruit, melon skin and struck match. Fine, focused and with a lovely pure and precise line of fruit, oak and pithy acidity. Textured, layered and with fabulous complexity and drinkability. Serious chardonnay. 95 Points"
Aaron Brasher for The Real Review, September 2024 [2023 Vintage]
"Barrel fermented and matured in French barriques and puncheons (20% new) for eight months. A bright green gold, this is always just a touch riper and richer than the U. Ngumby Chardonnay. There's some spice and a little oyster shell to go with the aromas of perfectly ripened white peaches and orange blossom. The palate is medium bodied and mouth-filling, with just enough tension to keep it focused and balanced. 93 Points."
Philip Rich for Halliday Wine Companion, August 2024 [2023 Vintage]
“Nougat, a bit of milk powder sweetness, melon, peach, apple. Full-flavoured, with generous mid-palate fruit weight and appley aftertaste. It’s glossy but creamy too, with a dust of warming cinnamon to finish. Very apple-driven after a few sips. Will please many with its intensity. 91 Points.”
Kasia Sobiesiak, winefront.com.au, July 2023 [2022 Vintage]
“A bigger style of chardonnay with plenty of oak and slightly oily texture. 90 Points.”
Wines of Victoria Wine Show, Winestate Magazine, Jul/Aug 2022 [2021 Vintage]
“Fresh, focused and detailed nose with white peach and lemon as well as hazelnut, gentle baking spices and more. Complex and attractive chardonnay here. The palate has bright, crisp acidity underpinning smoothly ripe, peachy fruit, the savory edge of spice and hazelnut book-ending the finish nicely. Lots to like here. 93 Points.”
Nick Stock for JamesSuckling.com, July 2022 [2021 Vintage]
“So much pulp, so much grapefruit, so deep the barrels filled with apples in cold water, pips, wheats, ciders and funks. This is a distinctive chardonnay, medium in weight, polarising most likely but not for its funk but more for its cidery-spicy-apple extravagances. Vanilla notes help bring it back to the middle, so to speak. It certainly keeps you interested. 91 Points.”
Campbell Mattinson, The Winefront, June 2022 [2021 Vintage]
“Hexham. I dig it. Big time! A site that keeps hitting the high hats time and again I find, this is a fabulous Chardonnay for $40.
I’m hooked from the get-go with aromas of barbecued pineapple and dehydrated mango. It’s fresh and fruit-driven with a soft nuttiness in the form of cashews and some almond meal rolling through the mouth. Ribbons of white-fleshed nectarine stretch throughout with a flash of lemon juice skirting the edges. It’s long and dangerously moreish. A fine textural appeal caps it off urging another sip. And you’re damn right I’ll be doing that! Drink to five years+. 94 Points”
Qwine, April 2022 [2021 Vintage]
“WOW year after year a consistently superb, exciting classy wine!! – attractive subtle citrus bouquet with a hint of creamy brioche aromas- sublime palate, delightfully creamy with melon & lime flavours, great length & a superb, long, refreshing finish.
DROP DEAD GORGEOUS!!!”
Dan Traucki, April 2022 [2021 Vintage]
“Ready to drink, with texture and upfront fruit. Stone fruit and melon, ginger spice and lemon zest to the fore. The palate is soft, ripe and uncomplicated. Pleasing from all sides. 90 Points.”
Jane Faulkner, 2022 Halliday Wine Companion, August 2021 [2020 Vintage]
“Soft straw-yellow colour, scents of yellow peach and freshly baked bread. Flavours of young apricot, nectarine and clove, the astute use of oak cradles rather than dominates the fruit profile. Malleable texture, modest body and a tangy finish. 92 Points.”
Amanda Yallop, The Real Review, April 2021 [2020 Vintage]
“From a parcel in the Gruyere district, this has a very impressively focused and intense nose with punchy lemon and peach aromas, as well as grapefruit pith, gun flint and fresh hazelnut. The palate has a fleshy, supple and soft edge with creamy and gently buttery layers around lemons, limes and peaches. 93 Points.”
Nick Stock for JamesSuckling.com, October 2020 [2019 Vintage]
“A flintiness, a creaminess, a succulence. Gets the complexity and mouthfeel right and then moves on to delivering pure, fruit-driven drinking. Lemon fresh, pears, blossomy characters, custard. Most enjoyable. 93 Points.”
Campbell Mattinson, Halliday Wine Companion, August 2020 [2019 Vintage]
“It has more power than personality but it is of course still very young. Flint, stone fruit and sweet (but modestly applied) oak combine in a neat, dry, taut package. There’s a smokiness about the nose and the palate but it works as a positive. Elegance is on its side too, no mean feat given the wine’s inherent power. You’d bet on this wine landing in an excellent place over the next few years. 92 Points.”
Campbell Mattinson, The Winefront, July 2020 [2019 Vintage]
“A Chardy for insightful conversations. I like how this Single Vineyard Hexham goes deep. A generous wine, toasted cashews, barbecued peach and butterscotch all seek your attention early. Some preserved lemons add more complexity. There’s a little oomph here. Not too much to weigh it down mind you, but just enough to give you something to grasp at. Oak plays its hand nicely imparting those delicious vanilla characters. And that length! These Soumah Single Vineyard Chardonnays are always smart. Drink to eight years+. 93 Points.”
Qwine/Steve Leszczynski, July 2020 [2019 Vintage]
“Nut brittle aromas. The palate has powered-up melon and orchard fruits, with a big push of textural complexity. Definitely a bigger style of chardonnay, but left with ample acid framework to control all that intensity. 96 Points”
Stuart Knox, The Real Review, March 2020 [2019 Vintage]
“Citrus, stonefruit, a little oak spice, some struck match. Pulls a little savoury and cheesy, juicy flavour and citrus acidity, finish is parmesan and lime rinds, of solid length. Goes all right. 91 Points.”
Gary Walsh, The Winefront, June 2020 [2018 Vintage]
“Pale yellow, fresh colour. Instantly a lovely nose of ripe stone fruits and lemon curd, unmistakably chardonnay, oak is present and supportive. Sulfides are measured and add loads of interest. It’s still a baby – lemon essence seams through the palate, green-apple acidity is taut and terrific. A beautiful wine.”
Nick Butler, The Real Review, April 2020 [2018 Vintage]
“Light straw colour and a fusty, dried flower kind of aroma including well-toasted oak. The palate is more restrained, delicate and refined, the finish tapers a bit, but it’s admirably subtle and restrained in style. There’s a lovely line to the palate. Refinement plus. 92 Points”
Huon Hooke, The Real Review, March 2020 [2018 Vintage]
“Quite restrained, showing hints of toasted cashew which complement the fruit. The palate is of adequate weight with good acid drive.”
Winewise, October 2019 [2018 Vintage]
“The appeal is obvious – a fruit-driven style with subtle oak spice, blossom, citrus and stone fruits. It’s luscious but not weighty. 92 Points.”
Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion, August 2019 [2018 Vintage]
“Subtle complexity is the key to this subdued Yarra chardonnay. Peach and citrus fruit characters drive it, with a whisper of nutty oak and a minerally hint of reduction giving extra elements. It’s on the lighter side of medium-body, long and fine in the mouth, appetising in aftertaste. A wine of real charm. 92 Points”
Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Real Review, May 2019 [2018 Vintage]
“Clones 95, 76 and Mendoza wild-fermented in French oak (22% new), matured for 8 months. A highly energetic and crisp wine that asks the question whether it was picked a little too early, but leaves room for many different answers.”
Halliday Wine Companion 2019 [2017 Vintage]
“Kernel and fuzzy peach skin smelling—creamy, deep, fruit packed—with comforting, sourdough crustiness cuddling it all. There’s an easiness to the delivery across the palate also: peach fuzziness (again), a touch of dried apricot and some baked fruit pie crust. But also tight, mouth-watering peel and chew countering the comfiness. It dips a bit quickly at the at the back, but this a minor gripe. 94 Points.”
Tim White, Nov 2020 [2017 Vintage]
“‘Pretty complex,’ started Hooke. ‘Attractively savoury aroma, melon and straw, dusty oak, toast and honey nuances. Then the palate offers rich fruit, soft texture, with generosity and balance’. My notes revolved around ‘generous’ and ‘rich’ too, and commented on the crisp acidity and length. Bourne added ‘complete’. It’s ready now.”
Gourmet Traveller – ‘Top Victorian Chardonnays’ [2016 Vintage]
“On the very elegant end of the Yarra Chard spectrum, this was given just 8 months in barrel. Water clear, the oak is currently the first flavour here; a note of popcorn and leesy oatmeal. Underneath it is gentle, delicate and surprisingly low in acid. An affable light Chard with just the right amount of fruit and acid…”
Andrew Graham – Oz Wine Review [2016 Vintage]
“A brisk, refreshing and focused chardonnay whose faintly herbal and tropical presence of grapefruit, melon and peach knits with some reasonably assertive vanilla oak and is backed by a faintly creamy, nutty yeast-derived aspect. It’s fresh and frisky, with length and purity, finishing with tautness and crispness.”
Jeremy Oliver – 90 points [2016 Vintage]
“Cutting edge; literally. It’s brimful of white peach and grapefruit flavour, and comes splashed with oatmeal and flint, but it’s that toasty, slightly bitter, piercing finish that really carries the day, and marks the wine. Wine with presence. Completely worthy of its asking price.”
Campbell Mattinson – 95 points [2014 Vintage]
2024
A drier and warmer winter, temperatures recording one-degree higher than normal. We were thinking 'El Nino' and drought, but then came 75% more rainfall than normal from October through January. Summer was then one-degree lower than normal. We had settled weather for flowering, laying a foundation for good yields. The overall cooler temperatures in summer produced excellent acidity which set up for minimal intervention ferments and wines of great length and structure.
[2023 Vintage] - 95 Points | Gold Medal at 2024 International Cool Climate Wine Show
[2022 Vintage] – 92 Points | Silver Medal and Trophy for People’s Choice at 2023 International Cool Climate Wine Show
[2021 Vintage] – Bronze Medal, 2022 James Halliday Australian Chardonnay & Cabernet Challenge
[2021 Vintage] – 93 Points by Nick Stock for JamesSuckling.com, July 2022
[2021 Vintage] – 96 Points | Gold Medal at 2022 International Cool Climate Wine Show
[2021 Vintage] – Gold Medal at European Wine Challenge 2022
[2021 Vintage] – 91 Points by Campbell Mattinson, The WineFront, June 2022
[2021 Vintage] – Silver Medal, 90 Points at Decanter World Wine Awards 2022
[2021 Vintage] – 90 Points at Wines of Victoria Wine Show | Winestate Magazine, Jul/Aug 2022
[2020 Vintage] – Double Gold at 2021 Melbourne International Wine Competition
[2020 Vintage] – 90 Points by Jane Faulkner, 2022 Halliday Wine Companion
[2020 Vintage] – 92 Points by Amanda Yallop, The Real Review, April 2021
[2019 Vintage] – Gold Medal at 2021 European Wine Challenge
[2019 Vintage] – 93 Points by Nick Stock for JamesSuckling.com, October 2020
[2019 Vintage] – 93 Points by Campbell Mattinson, 2021 Halliday Wine Companion
[2019 Vintage] – 96 Points by Stuart Knox, The Real Review, March 2020
[2018 Vintage] – 92 Points by Huon Hooke, The Review Review March 2020
[2018 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2019 ANZ Boutique Wine Show
[2018 Vintage] – Bronze Medal at Yarra Valley Wine Show2019
[2018 Vintage] – 92 Points by James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion 2020
[2018 Vintage] – Bronze Medal at Melbourne International Wine Show 2019
[2017 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2018 James Halliday Chardonnay Challenge
[2017 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2018 Japan Wine Competition
[2017 Vintage] – 94 Points by James Halliday, 2019 Halliday Wine Companion
[2017 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2018 Melbourne International Wine Competition
[2017 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2018 Decanter World Wine Awards
[2017 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2018 International Cool Climate Wine Show
[2017 Vintage] – Bronze Medal at 2018 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards
[2016 Vintage] – 91 Points from Andrew Graham – Oz Wine Review (2018)
[2016 Vintage] – 93 Points from Gourmet Traveller Magazine (2018)
[2016 Vintage] – Best Wine, Best White, and Best Chardonnay at 2017 International Cool Climate Wine Show
[2016 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2017 International Wine & Spirit Competition
[2016 Vintage] – Silver Medal at 2017 Royal Queensland Food & Wine Show
[2016 Vintage] – Bronze Medal at 2017 Decanter World Wine Awards
[2016 Vintage] – 93 Points by Ralph Kyte-Powell (2017)
[2016 Vintage] – 96 Points by Huon Hooke
[2016 Vintage] – 92 Points by Campbell Mattinson
[2015 Vintage] – 95 Points by James Halliday, 2018 Halliday Wine Companion
"Barrel fermented with natural yeasts and matured in both French barriques and puncheons. Partial mlf. A bright green gold. A well-defined and complex nose with scents of ripe stone fruits, honeydew melon, lightly grilled nuts and a touch of flint. And while this is rich and mouth-filling on entry, it's also nicely structured, with a fine bead of acidity threaded throughout. Very good already with its best still yet to come over the next three to four years. 96 Points."
Philip Rich for Halliday Wine Companion, March 2025 [2024 Vintage]
"Soumah offers a tale of two Yarra Valley Chardonnays from the cooler 2024 vintage. Each brings a distinct personality to the glass. Hexham is in Gruyere, on the north face of the Warramate Hills, and planted to a mix of the Mendoza (GinGin) and Burgundy clones. The ’24 was wild fermented in French oak (18% new) and matured on lees for eight months. A sunny and bright fragrance in notes of sea spray with citrus, ripe peach, nectarine, quince paste, baked bread and biscuit, vanillin spices. Sets in deep on the palate, concentrated and complex, offering weight and texture. Ferment-derived characters meld with sun ripened fruits and vanillin oak enlivened by a ginger spiciness, especially on the finish. Luxuriant and full flavoured with well-measured acidity. 95 Points."
Jeni Port for WinePilot, October 2025 [2024 Vintage]
"After a bumpy finish to the 2023 year, this vintage actually turned out pretty damn well in the Yarra Valley. After barrel fermentation with all wild yeast, the wine was matured on lees and a combination of barriques and puncheons for about eight months. A little secondary fermentation added the depth and complexity that you might expect. On the nose is a creamy brioche butterscotch combination with a little melon and nectarine. The palate builds intensity, showing a lovely balance of oak and fruit, and good length and persistence. It’s a mighty good chardonnay from a mighty good vintage. 95 Points."
Ray Jordan for WinePilot, September 2025 [2024 Vintage]
"Wild fermented and into 18% new French oak. Backyard lemon skin, yellow apples and cooked quince. A heady mix of sparkler flint and wood ash, with the delights of a savoury spice box. Ground cumin, ginger and fennel seed. There is a wild ride of acidity, steep but gradually so and with controlled driving force. Churned butter creaminesses and a raw cashew nuttiness on the finish. There is something for everyone in this single vineyard release, for those that love Chardonnay you’ll be sure to find what you are looking for and pleasantly surprised by its long flavour palate. Ideal with crumbed and stuffed squid hoods. Drink now or will cellar well, intensifying those powdered spices in the next 3-5 years. 93 Points"
Shenteh Wale for WinePilot, September 2025 [2024 Vintage]
"A both powerful and lifted aromatic aesthetic. Grilled nectarine, melon, grilled nuts, lemon pith and rind. Air unlocks some leesy dough notes adding interest and complexity, and there’s a substratum of cedar present throughout. The palate is round and textural with good concentration – fine cedar, grilled nuts, peach skin, Meyer lemon, melon. The acid shines here, living up to its important role of curtailing any heft. It’s pithy, firm and elongating – resulting in good length and a vigorous finish. 93 Points."
Tom Kline for WinePilot, October 2025 [2024 Vintage]
"Complete and fragrant aromas of grapefruit pith, white flowers, nougat, just-ripe white stone fruit, melon skin and struck match. Fine, focused and with a lovely pure and precise line of fruit, oak and pithy acidity. Textured, layered and with fabulous complexity and drinkability. Serious chardonnay. 95 Points"
Aaron Brasher for The Real Review, September 2024 [2023 Vintage]
"Barrel fermented and matured in French barriques and puncheons (20% new) for eight months. A bright green gold, this is always just a touch riper and richer than the U. Ngumby Chardonnay. There's some spice and a little oyster shell to go with the aromas of perfectly ripened white peaches and orange blossom. The palate is medium bodied and mouth-filling, with just enough tension to keep it focused and balanced. 93 Points."
Philip Rich for Halliday Wine Companion, August 2024 [2023 Vintage]
“Nougat, a bit of milk powder sweetness, melon, peach, apple. Full-flavoured, with generous mid-palate fruit weight and appley aftertaste. It’s glossy but creamy too, with a dust of warming cinnamon to finish. Very apple-driven after a few sips. Will please many with its intensity. 91 Points.”
Kasia Sobiesiak, winefront.com.au, July 2023 [2022 Vintage]
“A bigger style of chardonnay with plenty of oak and slightly oily texture. 90 Points.”
Wines of Victoria Wine Show, Winestate Magazine, Jul/Aug 2022 [2021 Vintage]
“Fresh, focused and detailed nose with white peach and lemon as well as hazelnut, gentle baking spices and more. Complex and attractive chardonnay here. The palate has bright, crisp acidity underpinning smoothly ripe, peachy fruit, the savory edge of spice and hazelnut book-ending the finish nicely. Lots to like here. 93 Points.”
Nick Stock for JamesSuckling.com, July 2022 [2021 Vintage]
“So much pulp, so much grapefruit, so deep the barrels filled with apples in cold water, pips, wheats, ciders and funks. This is a distinctive chardonnay, medium in weight, polarising most likely but not for its funk but more for its cidery-spicy-apple extravagances. Vanilla notes help bring it back to the middle, so to speak. It certainly keeps you interested. 91 Points.”
Campbell Mattinson, The Winefront, June 2022 [2021 Vintage]
“Hexham. I dig it. Big time! A site that keeps hitting the high hats time and again I find, this is a fabulous Chardonnay for $40.
I’m hooked from the get-go with aromas of barbecued pineapple and dehydrated mango. It’s fresh and fruit-driven with a soft nuttiness in the form of cashews and some almond meal rolling through the mouth. Ribbons of white-fleshed nectarine stretch throughout with a flash of lemon juice skirting the edges. It’s long and dangerously moreish. A fine textural appeal caps it off urging another sip. And you’re damn right I’ll be doing that! Drink to five years+. 94 Points”
Qwine, April 2022 [2021 Vintage]
“WOW year after year a consistently superb, exciting classy wine!! – attractive subtle citrus bouquet with a hint of creamy brioche aromas- sublime palate, delightfully creamy with melon & lime flavours, great length & a superb, long, refreshing finish.
DROP DEAD GORGEOUS!!!”
Dan Traucki, April 2022 [2021 Vintage]
“Ready to drink, with texture and upfront fruit. Stone fruit and melon, ginger spice and lemon zest to the fore. The palate is soft, ripe and uncomplicated. Pleasing from all sides. 90 Points.”
Jane Faulkner, 2022 Halliday Wine Companion, August 2021 [2020 Vintage]
“Soft straw-yellow colour, scents of yellow peach and freshly baked bread. Flavours of young apricot, nectarine and clove, the astute use of oak cradles rather than dominates the fruit profile. Malleable texture, modest body and a tangy finish. 92 Points.”
Amanda Yallop, The Real Review, April 2021 [2020 Vintage]
“From a parcel in the Gruyere district, this has a very impressively focused and intense nose with punchy lemon and peach aromas, as well as grapefruit pith, gun flint and fresh hazelnut. The palate has a fleshy, supple and soft edge with creamy and gently buttery layers around lemons, limes and peaches. 93 Points.”
Nick Stock for JamesSuckling.com, October 2020 [2019 Vintage]
“A flintiness, a creaminess, a succulence. Gets the complexity and mouthfeel right and then moves on to delivering pure, fruit-driven drinking. Lemon fresh, pears, blossomy characters, custard. Most enjoyable. 93 Points.”
Campbell Mattinson, Halliday Wine Companion, August 2020 [2019 Vintage]
“It has more power than personality but it is of course still very young. Flint, stone fruit and sweet (but modestly applied) oak combine in a neat, dry, taut package. There’s a smokiness about the nose and the palate but it works as a positive. Elegance is on its side too, no mean feat given the wine’s inherent power. You’d bet on this wine landing in an excellent place over the next few years. 92 Points.”
Campbell Mattinson, The Winefront, July 2020 [2019 Vintage]
“A Chardy for insightful conversations. I like how this Single Vineyard Hexham goes deep. A generous wine, toasted cashews, barbecued peach and butterscotch all seek your attention early. Some preserved lemons add more complexity. There’s a little oomph here. Not too much to weigh it down mind you, but just enough to give you something to grasp at. Oak plays its hand nicely imparting those delicious vanilla characters. And that length! These Soumah Single Vineyard Chardonnays are always smart. Drink to eight years+. 93 Points.”
Qwine/Steve Leszczynski, July 2020 [2019 Vintage]
“Nut brittle aromas. The palate has powered-up melon and orchard fruits, with a big push of textural complexity. Definitely a bigger style of chardonnay, but left with ample acid framework to control all that intensity. 96 Points”
Stuart Knox, The Real Review, March 2020 [2019 Vintage]
“Citrus, stonefruit, a little oak spice, some struck match. Pulls a little savoury and cheesy, juicy flavour and citrus acidity, finish is parmesan and lime rinds, of solid length. Goes all right. 91 Points.”
Gary Walsh, The Winefront, June 2020 [2018 Vintage]
“Pale yellow, fresh colour. Instantly a lovely nose of ripe stone fruits and lemon curd, unmistakably chardonnay, oak is present and supportive. Sulfides are measured and add loads of interest. It’s still a baby – lemon essence seams through the palate, green-apple acidity is taut and terrific. A beautiful wine.”
Nick Butler, The Real Review, April 2020 [2018 Vintage]
“Light straw colour and a fusty, dried flower kind of aroma including well-toasted oak. The palate is more restrained, delicate and refined, the finish tapers a bit, but it’s admirably subtle and restrained in style. There’s a lovely line to the palate. Refinement plus. 92 Points”
Huon Hooke, The Real Review, March 2020 [2018 Vintage]
“Quite restrained, showing hints of toasted cashew which complement the fruit. The palate is of adequate weight with good acid drive.”
Winewise, October 2019 [2018 Vintage]
“The appeal is obvious – a fruit-driven style with subtle oak spice, blossom, citrus and stone fruits. It’s luscious but not weighty. 92 Points.”
Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion, August 2019 [2018 Vintage]
“Subtle complexity is the key to this subdued Yarra chardonnay. Peach and citrus fruit characters drive it, with a whisper of nutty oak and a minerally hint of reduction giving extra elements. It’s on the lighter side of medium-body, long and fine in the mouth, appetising in aftertaste. A wine of real charm. 92 Points”
Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Real Review, May 2019 [2018 Vintage]
“Clones 95, 76 and Mendoza wild-fermented in French oak (22% new), matured for 8 months. A highly energetic and crisp wine that asks the question whether it was picked a little too early, but leaves room for many different answers.”
Halliday Wine Companion 2019 [2017 Vintage]
“Kernel and fuzzy peach skin smelling—creamy, deep, fruit packed—with comforting, sourdough crustiness cuddling it all. There’s an easiness to the delivery across the palate also: peach fuzziness (again), a touch of dried apricot and some baked fruit pie crust. But also tight, mouth-watering peel and chew countering the comfiness. It dips a bit quickly at the at the back, but this a minor gripe. 94 Points.”
Tim White, Nov 2020 [2017 Vintage]
“‘Pretty complex,’ started Hooke. ‘Attractively savoury aroma, melon and straw, dusty oak, toast and honey nuances. Then the palate offers rich fruit, soft texture, with generosity and balance’. My notes revolved around ‘generous’ and ‘rich’ too, and commented on the crisp acidity and length. Bourne added ‘complete’. It’s ready now.”
Gourmet Traveller – ‘Top Victorian Chardonnays’ [2016 Vintage]
“On the very elegant end of the Yarra Chard spectrum, this was given just 8 months in barrel. Water clear, the oak is currently the first flavour here; a note of popcorn and leesy oatmeal. Underneath it is gentle, delicate and surprisingly low in acid. An affable light Chard with just the right amount of fruit and acid…”
Andrew Graham – Oz Wine Review [2016 Vintage]
“A brisk, refreshing and focused chardonnay whose faintly herbal and tropical presence of grapefruit, melon and peach knits with some reasonably assertive vanilla oak and is backed by a faintly creamy, nutty yeast-derived aspect. It’s fresh and frisky, with length and purity, finishing with tautness and crispness.”
Jeremy Oliver – 90 points [2016 Vintage]
“Cutting edge; literally. It’s brimful of white peach and grapefruit flavour, and comes splashed with oatmeal and flint, but it’s that toasty, slightly bitter, piercing finish that really carries the day, and marks the wine. Wine with presence. Completely worthy of its asking price.”
Campbell Mattinson – 95 points [2014 Vintage]
2024
A drier and warmer winter, temperatures recording one-degree higher than normal. We were thinking 'El Nino' and drought, but then came 75% more rainfall than normal from October through January. Summer was then one-degree lower than normal. We had settled weather for flowering, laying a foundation for good yields. The overall cooler temperatures in summer produced excellent acidity which set up for minimal intervention ferments and wines of great length and structure.
Accolades
Accolades
Experience This Wine
A citrus and melon bouquet is supported by ‘struck match’ and brioche character. Complex and elegant flavours on the palate wound together with subtle new oak influence and silky creaminess, finishing long, fresh and zesty.
Grilled shrimp or chicken with a citrus vinaigrette and honey roasted carrots and parsnips.
The Yarra Valley is possibly the ultimate region in Australia for fresh, new-age Chardonnay. Our goal is simple; add to that reputation with our definitive vineyard site, coupled with the finest clones and exacting viticulture to create a modern, premium Chardonnay. The fruit was handpicked, whole bunch pressed and then barrel fermented with 100% wild yeast. The wine was then matured on lees in these Barriques and Puncheons for eight months with partial malolactic fermentation to create depth and finesse.
A citrus and melon bouquet is supported by ‘struck match’ and brioche character. Complex and elegant flavours on the palate wound together with subtle new oak influence and silky creaminess, finishing long, fresh and zesty.
Grilled shrimp or chicken with a citrus vinaigrette and honey roasted carrots and parsnips.
The Yarra Valley is possibly the ultimate region in Australia for fresh, new-age Chardonnay. Our goal is simple; add to that reputation with our definitive vineyard site, coupled with the finest clones and exacting viticulture to create a modern, premium Chardonnay. The fruit was handpicked, whole bunch pressed and then barrel fermented with 100% wild yeast. The wine was then matured on lees in these Barriques and Puncheons for eight months with partial malolactic fermentation to create depth and finesse.
