Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, Australia

A ripe n’ refined chardonnay as likeable as the family golden retriever! Organic winemakers Rainbo and Gareth Belton previously worked in academia as marine biologists studying phycology but were slowly drawn toward their love of wine, food & growing things. It makes a whole lotta sense that they gravitated to cool alpine altitudes in Adelaide Hills – where ancient marine life makes up the soils and winters see plenty of rain – to make utterly delish, zero-zero wines of place. After being picked from their sunny hill, luxe chardo gets pressed whole cluster then ages for nine months in a mix of just about every pot – old French oak, Australian barriques, puncheons and a handful of new oak barrels for an iota of vanilla. Swirl a glass of gold and sniff pineapple semifreddo, salty lemon curd, banana marshmallow, cream cheese on sourdough, blackboard chalk, dimmed-light pilates & Parisian neck scarf  – all in a soft body with a taut acid core. Seriously what’s not to love? Drink it after the last dog walk of the day (whether that’s real or metaphorical) with some gussied up mac n’ cheese.