2024 Forrest Vineyard Wilyabrup Chardonnay, Nocturne

• Style: Pale, bright, mineral-driven coastal Chardonnay
• Taste: Ripe stone fruit and citrus with flint minerality and lime acidity
• Food: Buttered seafood, roasted chicken, creamy cheeses, pasta & risotto
• Occasion: Date night, gifting, quiet evenings or dinner with friends
• Serve: Now or cellar; 13% ABV, Stelvin Lux closure

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Pale and bright, this Chardonnay opens with ripe apricot, peach and grapefruit layered beneath a distinctive flint minerality that speaks to the vineyard's sandy soils and proximity to the Indian Ocean. On the palate, Margaret River's maritime character emerges with real presence and weight—never heavy—driven by taut, lime-bright acidity that pulls everything into focus. Stone fruit and citrus have backbone; this is a wine built to age, yet entirely approachable now.

The Winery — Nocturne

Julian Langworthy, one of Australia's most acclaimed winemakers, founded Nocturne as a solo venture to craft small-quantity wines from Margaret River's finest sub-regions. Born and raised in the area, he earned the Jimmy Watson Trophy and Halliday's Best Winemaker before launching what began as a side project in 2010 and has become one of the country's most exciting producers. The 2024 vintage challenged the region—one of the earliest and driest seasons on record—yet where water management was thoughtful, results excelled. Hand-picked fruit from Forrest Vineyard's ridge section in Wilyabrup went straight to barrel with minimal intervention: whole-bunch pressed into new and seasoned puncheons, wild yeast fermented over four weeks, then left on gross lees through the Australian spring and summer before bottling in December. No fining, no added sulphur during aging—Langworthy's philosophy of 'careful neglection' allows vineyard and vintage to speak clearly.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

Pair this wine with buttered seafood, roasted chicken with herb stuffing, creamy cheeses, white fish, oily fish, or pasta and risotto dishes. At 13% ABV with a Stelvin Lux closure, it's ready to drink now and will reward careful cellaring for years. This is the kind of bottle that makes a quiet evening better, or elevates a dinner with friends—equally at home as a thoughtful gift. Discover more Chardonnay selections and explore the broader range of Australia's finest producers working in the Margaret River region.