2017 was a cold, wet vintage in Margaret River, and the wines, especially the Chardonnays, feel worked, complex and full. This is when the modern Fermoy Estate style of Chardonnay really started to emerge as I see it, and this wine, now six years old, is showing the svelte lines and graceful aging that the house is becoming known for. Tight, pink grapefruit acid curls around the corners of fleshy yellow peach and layers of exotic spice. Fermented wild in tight-grained French oak, the 2017 Reserve Chardonnay is complex, toasty, fresh, layered and exciting. Utterly exciting, actually. Really good! 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.