An outstanding chardonnay which comes from the Allingham vineyard at the cool Karridale subregion. It is so exquisitely integrated and woven together with such subtlety and precision. It gets down to each barrel where decisions are made on malolactic fermentation and the degree of lees stirring. The result is a marvellous wine displaying freshness and vibrancy with typical notes of citrus, grapefruit and white peach permeating throughout. Has a dry savoury minerality to finish. Exceptional wine.
96 POINTS
Tom Kline - Winepilot
Restrained aromas of grapefruit and nougat to start, making way for white nectarine, fine cedar, peach skin, and an emergent core of saline and citrus laced minerality. This really starts to sing after some air and increased temperature, though through a lens of restraint and focus with a harmonious symphony of fruit, savouriness and minerality. The palate shows restrained power and excellent line. Nougat and grapefruit leading again, before a burst of peach, nectarine, salted lemon, and yellow apple are pulled linear by an assertive and cleansing acid line. Excellent linear drive and near endless length here. A classy release.
96 POINTS
Jane Faulkner - Halliday Wine Companion
There’s been a real shift in the Howard Park wines since chief winemaker Nic Bowen joined in ’21 and now with ‘his’ vintages coming to fruition, it’s wonderful to witness. This is excellent. It’s flinty and a little funky thanks to the whisper of sulphides yet lots of delicious citrus, spice and savoury oak, the latter superbly integrated. Everything comes together brilliantly all tied with a neat bow of acidity leading to a persistent finish.
96 POINTS
Erin Larkin - Robert Parker Wine Advocate
It must be said that in the past 12 months, I have been involved in several masked tastings of Western Australian wines, and the Howard Park wines have presented very well; their performance in this regard is the best I can recall in recent memory. Hats off to winemaker Nic Bowen and the team there for their hard work.
The 2023 Allingham Chardonnay hails from the magnificent 2023 season. This is as creamy and as nutty as ever, but it is imbued with a thread of saline acidity that is woven through every aspect of the palate. It is seamless and controlled, elegant and fine and ever so long through the finish, with salted cashews, yellow peach, green apple, shaved fennel, spring flowers and lemon curd. This is the very best Allingham I can recall seeing. Superb. 12.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
96 POINTS
Angus Hughson - Winepilot
This beautifully controlled 2023 Allingham Chardonnay offers up youthful and superbly complex aromas of crushed nuts, musky peach, and citrus pith with gun flint all enveloped by a blanket of fine French oak. Punchy young acidity provides an intense focussed entry before fanning out into a flavourful, yet tightly bound package. A benchmark vintage that is built to last.
96 POINTS
Angus Hughson - Vinous
The beautifully controlled 2023 Chardonnay Allingham offers up youthful and superbly complex aromas of crushed nuts, musky peach, and citrus pith with fun flint lift, all enveloped by a blanket of fine French oak. Punchy young acidity provides an intense, focussed entry before fanning out into a flavourful, tightly bound package. This is a benchmark vintage that is built to last.
96 POINTS
2025 - Decanter World Wine Awards
Voluminous plump peach and lemon fruit intertwined with honeyed cashews over a melt-in-the-mouth texture, with a lively line of acidity rippling towards the finish line.
Award: Gold - DWWA 2025
95 POINTS
Cassandra Charlick - Decanter
Toasty oak with flint and cheesecloth funk, preserved lemon pith and grapefruit zest with beach sand grip and oomph with sparkling acidity, fruit concentration and a sweet core. Develops beautifully with time, revealing power and volume with a lovely line of fruit woven through. Tight and young now, needing time to open fully. Single vineyard Karridale Chardonnay pressed directly to barrel with indigenous yeast fermentation. Matured for seven to nine months in 25%-30% demi-muids and puncheons, the remainder barriques, 25% new.
