Red Knot, Chardonnay 2011

South Australia’s McLaren Vale may be best known for its full-bodied reds, but it’s also a region that can also produce a good quality chardy – and at a very reasonable price tag.

The 2011 Red Knot Chardonnay is made by Shingleback and hits the shelves at around only $15.00 a bottle. It’s light in the glass and zesty on the front. There’s a delightfully citric edge (perhaps courtesy of a lashing of Semillon) but none of those overwhelming oakiness or malolactic fermentation characters that have turned chardy drinkers away in droves.

If you like a lively style of wine that delivers great balance and finishes cleanly, this may be one for you.