Patrick Sullivan Ada River Chardonnay 2025

With a wine label only a dozen years in, and with less than ten vintages of Chardonnay behind him, it’s a remarkably short period for any producer to accomplish what Patrick Sullivan has: his Chardonnays have become iconic of Australia's wine landscape and his name has become tied to that variety indelibly.

Patrick's interest in vineyards is significant. His pursuit of the perfect sites led him to study oenology and viticulture and took him into vineyards before he began producing wine. This journey led him to the dramatic landscapes of Gippsland's cool climate country, and particularly to the ancient volcanic soils of Baw Baw shire around the Strezlecki Ranges, where he established his estate, Tumblestone Farm and took on long term leases with mature vineyards such as Ada River, Bull Swamp and Camp Hill.

Patrick now exclusively produces Chardonnay under his eponymous label and after several vintages in Gippsland only, his interests have spread further south, now producing Chardonnay from volcanic soils on the Limestone Coast and single site Chardonnays from the Yarra Valley.

This release is a remarkable feat for Patrick & Megan. The wines all share a taught, almost crystaline clarity and density in structure while all presenting a sense of unfurled generosity to come over the next several years of cellaring.

The Ada River vineyard was planted in 1982 by the Kelleher family at Neerim South in the foothills of Mount Baw Baw in Gippsland. The site is comprised of uniform volcanic soils which run deep into basalt rock. Clonal selection is kept to P58 and I10V1 Chardonnay with the total plantings to chardonnay being just on a hectare. The vineyard is situated at 300m in elevation and has the fortune of 360-degree windbreaks which limit the occasional harsh winds pushing from the snowfields. The vineyard is 100% dry grown, evident through the intense fruit concentration.