Evans & Tate Chardonnay

Evans & Tate Chardonnay is a 100% Chardonnay from Margaret River, Western Australia, bottled at 14% ABV in a standard 750ml format. The Evans & Tate winery has earned extraordinary recognition for its Chardonnay program, with its Redbrook Estate expression winning Best Australian Chardonnay and 97 points at the James Halliday Australian Chardonnay Challenge — a pedigree that informs every tier of the range.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14%  |  Origin: Margaret River, Western Australia  |  Style: Oak-Fermented Chardonnay  |  Winery: Evans & Tate

Production & Heritage

Evans & Tate was established in Margaret River, one of Australia's most celebrated cool-climate wine regions known for producing world-class Chardonnay. The Chardonnay undergoes wild fermentation in French oak barriques — exclusively sourced from Tonnellerie Treuil — using cloudy, unsettled juice to build textural complexity from the outset. Partial malolactic fermentation softens acidity without smothering fruit character, while extended lees stirring during barrel aging adds a creamy, biscuity dimension. This hands-off, low-intervention approach has been described as a rare achievement in Australian Chardonnay winemaking, prioritizing complexity without sacrificing freshness or aging potential.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Ripe stone fruit and fresh pear rise first, followed by dried herbs and a distinct flinty minerality. Underneath, a malty, toasty lift from barrel fermentation adds savory depth.

Taste: The palate opens with crunchy nectarine and melon, building through a mid-palate of juicy peach and lemon citrus. A savoury, almost smoky undercurrent from the wild fermentation in French oak adds tension and keeps the wine layered and engaging.

Finish: Medium to long, with crisp acidity carrying spicy oak notes and a lingering flint-like minerality. The balance between fruit richness and structural acidity gives the finish notable persistence.

How to Drink Evans & Tate Chardonnay

Best served lightly chilled — around 10–12°C — to let the oak-driven complexity emerge without muting the fruit. Neat in a tulip-shaped white wine glass is the ideal primary serve. For cocktails and wine-based drinks, the oak structure and citrus backbone make it a strong candidate for a White Wine Spritz, where the flinty notes add sophistication against sparkling water and a citrus twist. It also works in a French 75 variation using Chardonnay in place of Champagne for a richer, more textured take. A Wine Cobbler built with seasonal stone fruit echoes the wine's natural peach and nectarine character.

Best For

• Hosting a seafood dinner party with grilled prawns or lobster
• Gifting an Australian wine enthusiast exploring Margaret River
• Pairing with a weekend roast chicken or herb-crusted pork
• Building a comparative tasting flight of Margaret River Chardonnays

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Evans & Tate Chardonnay taste like? It delivers ripe stone fruit, melon, and pear on the palate, layered with savory notes of fresh toast, flint, and dried herbs from wild fermentation in French oak. Crisp acidity and a spicy finish keep it structured rather than heavy.

How does Evans & Tate Chardonnay compare to Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay? Both are flagship Margaret River Chardonnays, but Leeuwin Art Series is typically positioned as an ultra-premium, single-vineyard expression with a longer track record of international critical acclaim. Evans & Tate offers a more accessible entry into Margaret River Chardonnay while still employing premium techniques like wild fermentation in French oak barriques and extended lees contact.

Is Evans & Tate Chardonnay good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — the combination of fruit richness, oak complexity, and balancing acidity makes it well suited for drinking neat, lightly chilled. The savory, flinty undertones reward slower, contemplative sipping.

Where is Evans & Tate Chardonnay made? Evans & Tate is based in Margaret River, Western Australia, a premium cool-climate region roughly 270 kilometers south of Perth. Margaret River is widely regarded as one of Australia's top regions for Chardonnay production.

What foods pair well with Evans & Tate Chardonnay? Grilled or pan-seared white fish complements the wine's citrus acidity. Roast chicken with herb butter echoes its toasty, savory notes. Creamy pasta dishes like fettuccine Alfredo match the lees-driven texture. Aged Gruyère or Comté cheese mirrors the nutty, malty complexity. Fresh prawn or crab salads with citrus dressing highlight the stone fruit and mineral character.

What sizes does Evans & Tate Chardonnay come in? Evans & Tate Chardonnay is widely available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is Evans & Tate Chardonnay worth the price? Evans & Tate Chardonnay positions as a mid-range Margaret River expression that punches above its weight, delivering premium winemaking techniques — wild fermentation, French oak barriques, lees stirring — at a price point well below the region's top-tier single-vineyard bottlings.

Why Evans & Tate Chardonnay?

What sets this wine apart is the commitment to wild fermentation using cloudy juice in 228-litre French oak barriques from a single cooperage, Tonnellerie Treuil — a level of barrel sourcing specificity unusual at this price tier. The winery's Chardonnay credentials are backed by serious hardware: its Redbrook Estate expression earned 97 points and Best Australian Chardonnay at the James Halliday Challenge, while the Redbrook Reserve took Wine of Show at the 2025 Margaret River Wine Show. That institutional knowledge flows through the entire range. For drinkers seeking a Margaret River Chardonnay that balances oak complexity with bright, mineral-driven freshness, Evans & Tate delivers a genuinely site-expressive wine without the premium price tag attached to the region's most famous labels.