Scarborough Yellow Label Chardonnay has been the wine that made Scarborough Wine Co famous since 1987 — their best-selling wine, loved and shared across generations, and a benchmark of Hunter Valley Chardonnay. The 2023 vintage is the newest release from an outstanding Hunter Valley vintage, sourced from the Gillards Road property and select vineyards with the same deep hillside red-brown terra rossa soils of limestone parentage. Aromas of cinnamon-poached white peach and crushed roasted cashews leap from the glass, followed by a beautifully weighted mid-palate of stewed nectarines and perfumed French oak, finishing with an elegant, long acid line. Matured for 12 months in French oak of varying ages. Drink now or over the next 4 years.
Tasting Notes
Appearance
Bright green-gold with straw overtones — the fresh, luminous colour of a Hunter Valley Chardonnay sourced from deep hillside terra rossa soils of limestone parentage, with the clarity and vibrancy that careful oxidative handling and 12 months of French oak maturation deliver.
Aroma
Cinnamon-poached white peach and crushed roasted cashews leap from the glass — hints of buttered sourdough and perfumed French oak add depth and complexity. A nose of genuine Hunter Valley character and immediate, generous appeal.
Palate
Roasted almonds, pannacotta, and freshly cut white stone fruit, with textures of lime, butterscotch, and five spice — a beautifully weighted mid-palate of stewed nectarines and cinnamon, finishing with an elegant, long acid line. Full-flavoured, richly textured, and deeply satisfying.
Pairs With
Scarborough Yellow Label Chardonnay 2023 pairs magnificently with a bouillabaisse of fish, prawns, calamari, and mussels with rouille and croutons — equally rewarding alongside roasted chicken, creamy pasta, lobster, and soft washed-rind cheeses.
