This needs your full attention
these wines are not to be missed
These are now, without question, amongst the best Chardonnays produced in Australia. Don’t let the new-wave labels fool you. We are now in very serious territory…
The details:
Saturday March 21st
1-3pm – come any time in this window
Informal - Upstairs at Five Way Cellars
(this is not a masterclass – it is a standing tasting)
Book your spot here or pay on the door
Hosted by Melissa Moore of Patrick Sullivan Wines
6 Patrick Sullivan wines, plus 2 white Burgundies for comparison
$55 per person
Wine on tasting:
Patrick Sullivan Limestone Coast Chardonnay $33
Patrick Sullivan Woori Yallock Chardonnay $88
Patrick Sullivan Willow Lake Chardonnay $88
Patrick Sullivan Ada River Chardonnay $135
Patrick Sullivan Camp Hill Chardonnay $115
Patrick Sullivan Bull Swamp Chardonnay $115
Pierre Yves Colin Morey (PYCM) Bourgogne Blanc 2023 $129
Benjamin Leroux Meursault 2023 $310
Patrick and Melissa joined us in the shop on March 12th with Pat’s six new Chardonnays in the bag. We have been tracking Pat’s wines for a number of years now, enjoying the upward trajectory of quality we are seeing year on year. But the 2025s take this to a whole new level…
Usually with a release such as this where six wines are offered, we are forced to choose our favourite two wines to stock, considering how limited space is for us. But having tasted all six wines, we all looked at each other and quickly decided that we needed them all. There is so much class, precision and detail across this release that it is astonishing. Importantly, all six wines have individual profiles making it well justified to bottle each site separately.
“When a wine is informed by the soil rather than the sun, you end up with something special…” – Patrick Sullivan.
Weary of sounding hyperbolic, this release sets Patrick Sullivan amongst the top handful of Australian Chardonnay producers. And despite being reluctant to constantly compare Australian Chardonnay to Burgundy, it is true that Burgundy remains the benchmark for the variety. Here, Patrick achieves concentration in his wines with a sense of weightlessness. The balance these wines strike is impeccable, showing initial richness and power but with fleshy acidity throughout.
“When you don’t have to turn the water systems on too often you get power and minerality.” – Patrick Sullivan.
Below we offer all six wines. They will all be open for tasting Saturday March 21st ($55 per person) and I implore you to come and taste the wines. If of interest, we offer a mixed 6-pack (one bottle of each wine) at the case price, with a total of $515.
Ches Cook, Five Way Cellars.
Patrick Sullivan 'Willow Lake' Chardonnay 2025
Single Bottle Price: $88
Dozen Bottle Price: $79.20
Off to a flyer here. This is the first vintage Pat has had access to the Willow Lake vineyard in the Yarra Valley. Readers may be familiar with the Willow Lake name as the likes of Adrian Rodda and Oakridge source fruit from this site. Pat’s rendition is sublime: it shows citrus oil, meal, bronzed orchard fruit and white peach, amongst other flavours that meld together beautifully. As becomes a theme across this release, it’s a fantastic combination of power with finesse. – Ches Cook, Five Way Cellars.
Patrick Sullivan 'Woori Yallock' Chardonnay 2025
Single Bottle Price: $88
Dozen Bottle Price: $79.20
Also from the Yarra Valley, this is a wine I just want to drink and drink. Worri Yallock is the richest of all the wines in this release, with a bit more overt ripeness and fruit sweetness. Flavours are similar to the Willow Lake wine, however the volume here is turned up. Not a matter of better or worse: some readers will love the full throttle style here, while others will prefer the refinement of the Willow Lake bottling. – Ches Cook, Five Way Cellars.
Patrick Sullivan 'Camp Hill' Chardonnay 2025
Single Bottle Price: $115
Dozen Bottle Price: $103.50
This looks excellent! Camp Hill is a site close to home for Pat, located in Gippsland. Serious territory here with very lifted aromas that span stone fruit, nut and meal but also with something herbal that enhances the profile and vibrancy of the wine. The palate has a waxy polish to it that brings a presence to the wine and a concentration to its texture. This, for me, is the pick of the release and the most elegant and effortless wine of the bunch. The acid that runs through the wine is fleshy and perfectly integrated, and the span of flavours seems particularly wide, going from lime leaf and lemon balm, through to cold cut white peach and then into something a touch more ripe and golden… The herbal element reappears on the palate (I am still trying to put my finger on what exactly this is) with blossoming white and golden flowers (particularly acacia) also evident. What a beautiful and complex wine! – Ches Cook, Five Way Cellars.
Patrick Sullivan 'Bullswamp' Chardonnay 2025
Single Bottle Price: $115
Dozen Bottle Price: $103.50
“My favourite release [2025] of this wine to date” Pat says. He goes on to say “When a wine is informed by the soil rather than the sun, you end up with something special…” This seems particularly evident in this wine, with distinctive minerality running through it with a tug of salinity below the surface. The volcanic soils of Gippsland are to thank for this, while the unique orientation of the vineyard site also helps to define the flavours we see. Half of the vineyard faces south (cooler) lending citrus notes and acidity, while on the other side of the crest, facing north, the vines lap-up the sun and lend richer, riper flavours. All of these things combined, with a winemaker/viticulturalist as skilled as Pat behind the wheel, result in a glorious wine. – Ches Cook, Five Way Cellars.
Patrick Sullivan 'Ada River' Chardonnay 2025
Single Bottle Price: $135
Dozen Bottle Price: $121.50
The ‘Ada River’ site shares the same ridgeline as the ‘Woori Yallock’ Chardonnay, with the Woori site being in the Yarra Valley while ‘Ada River’ is considered part of Gippsland. This is the most tense and linear wine in the release, juxtaposing the Woori Yallock wine from nearby which was by far the richest and roundest. Here acid is a key player, defining the shape of the wine. The fruit spectrum seems to be mainly in the citrus camp, with flavours tightly coiled and relatively shy. As the glass warms slightly, more fruit reveals itself and a saltiness appears on the back-palate. It’s a wine that builds and builds and ultimately you are left with impressive concentration of flavour that lasts and lasts. – Ches Cook, Five Way Cellars.
Patrick Sullivan Limestone Coast Chardonnay 2025
Single Bottle Price: $33
Dozen Bottle Price: $29.70
Pat is thrilled to be able to offer an introduction to his brand at a price like this. He says that producing good Chardonnay from the Limestone Coast comes down to farming and having a good relationship with the right growers of the regions. This is a juicy and pulpy Chardonnay with immediate appeal. The complexity of his wines up the chart is not on offer here, but you do get a generous wine with ripe stone fruit flavours and an appealing wash of acidity across the back-palate. Hard to beat around the $30 mark… – Ches Cook, Five Way Cellars.
Patrick Sullivan 6-Pack Chardonnay 2025 $515
Patrick Sullivan Limestone Coast Chardonnay $33
Patrick Sullivan Woori Yallock Chardonnay $88
Patrick Sullivan Willow Lake Chardonnay $88
Patrick Sullivan Ada River Chardonnay $115
Patrick Sullivan Camp Hill Chardonnay $115
Patrick Sullivan Bull Swamp Chardonnay $135