International Chardonnay Day – Thursday 21st May 2026
It’s one of my favourite days of the year – International Chardonnay Day!
This fabulous wine holiday was originally celebrated by Rick Bakas – who said it should fall on the Thursday before Memorial Day (U.S.) each year.
However in recent years it has come to be known as World Chardonnay Day (with a dedicated website and all!) – to be celebrated on the 21st of May every year. Which to be honest is a lot easier for someone based in Australia, like me to keep a track of!
So this year, #WorldChardonnayDay falls on Thursday 21st of May 2026!
Plus the lovely folk over at Scarborough Wine Co in the Hunter Valley have also renamed May as Chardo-May which I am all for too!
Check out my Chardo-May video here.
My Chardonnay: The Ultimate Guide From Its #1 Fan blog post is my love letter to my favourite grape variety. It’s safe to say that I am an absolutely fiend for this wine grape variety.
To help celebrate International Chardonnay Day this year, I have listed some of my current favourite Chardonnay’s across different price points that I have loved and would most definitely drink again. I tasted all these wines this year – 2026.
As we all have different tastes, I would love to know what your favourites are right now are, so drop them in the comments at the bottom of this post.
Please note some of these wines were sent to me as samples and some links in this post are affiliate links. I was under no obligation to post about any of these wines. All opinions are based on my own taste buds. Wine is subjective & always evolving, so make sure you drink what you enjoy!
Scarborough Wine Co 2023 Yellow Label Chardonnay
Winery: Scarborough Wine Co.
Region: Hunter Valley, NSW
Oak: Fermented and stored on lees in French oak of varying ages for 12 months
ABV: 13.3%
Cellaring: It is drinking perfectly right now, or you can cellar it over the next 4 years
Price: $28
Straight from the beautiful Hunter Valley, this classic drop is absolute sunshine in a glass. It’s got that gorgeous, comforting richness we love from a Hunter Chardy, but stays beautifully crisp and fresh. Definitely one to add to the list if you’re a Chardonnay lover and haven’t yet tried it.
In the glass, it pours a lovely green with straw overtones. Bring it up to the nose and it is simply mouthwatering: think cinnamon poached white peach and crushed roasted cashews, backed by cozy hints of buttered sourdough and perfumed French oak.
Taking a sip is an absolute treat. The palate delivers an amazing mix of roasted almonds, creamy pannacotta, and freshly cut white stone fruit. It balances out that classic Hunter richness with zesty textures of lime, plus indulgent notes of butterscotch and five spice. It has a beautifully weighted mid-palate full of stewed nectarines and cinnamon, wrapping up with an elegant, long acid line that keeps it incredibly refreshing.
If you’re planning a special meal for World Chardonnay Day, this is the bottle to open. Scarborough recommends pairing it with a hearty seafood Bouillabaisse packed with fish, prawns, calamari, and mussels, topped with rouille and croutons. YUM!
Lethbridge Estate Chardonnay 2024
Winery: Lethbridge
Region: Geelong, VIC
Oak: 40% new French oak barriques
ABV: 13%
Cellaring: 10+ years
Price: $60
We recently enjoyed this gorgeous bottle at Sailors Rest in Geelong while catching up with extended family.
If you’ve been following the great Aussie Chardonnay debate over the years – often caught between the super lean, citrus-driven styles and the ultra-rich, creamy ones, you will absolutely love this. Lethbridge has confidently embraced a balanced middle ground, crafting a wine that speaks beautifully of harmony rather than extremes.
Sourced from four distinct vineyards across the Geelong GI (Lethbridge, Hat Rock, Hillside Haven, and Suma Park), it really showcases the expressiveness of the region.
In the glass, it is incredibly vibrant. The nose grabs your attention immediately with a brilliant riot of orchard aromatics. Once you take a sip, you are met with a gorgeous floral palate packed with notes of fig and fresh white nectarine. It wraps up with a delicate creaminess that makes it just beautiful drinking.
It’s an incredibly versatile, food-friendly Chardonnay that brings complexity and depth without being over the top. Whether you’re sharing it over lunch by the water or keeping it for a special occasion.
Scotchmans Hill 2024 Chardonnay
Winery: Scotchmans Hill
Region: Bellarine Peninsula, VIC
Oak: Matured in new to 4 year old French barriques for 12 months
Cellaring: Drinking beautifully now but will go for 6-8 years in the cellar
Price: $46
This is another bottle we enjoyed at Sailors Rest in Geelong and oh yum it went down an absolute treat with the three of us drinking it.
Sourced right here from the Bellarine Peninsula (where I am based – check out my Bellarine Wineries Guide), this drop perfectly captures why Victorian Chardonnay is having such a moment.
In the glass, it is wonderfully complex and lively. The aromas immediately jump out at you – think bright nectarine and zesty grapefruit, all beautifully rounded out by creamy hints and a touch of nutty oak. Taking a sip, the palate feels incredibly fresh and crisp, carrying a subtle mineral edge of white peach and more grapefruit. It then gives way to a lovely, savoury mid-palate and finishes with a perfectly integrated cashew-nut oak finish.
The structure and drive of this wine are just tremendous. It was fermented with wild yeast over two weeks and aged for 12 months in a mix of new to four-year-old French barriques (with the yeast lees stirred monthly for extra texture). This is a wine that strikes a beautiful balance between zesty fruit and comforting creaminess.
It paired so brilliantly with our afternoon out, and it’s definitely one to add to your list if you love a Chardonnay with great texture and fresh vitality. I’ll be stocking up for sure!
Terindah Estate 2024 Single Vineyard Chardonnay
Winery: Terindah Estate
Region: Bellarine Peninsula, VIC
Price: $40
Keeping the Geelong and Bellarine Peninsula theme going, this is another absolute beauty! Terindah Estate is known for its breathtaking bay views and spectacular cool-climate wines, and their Estate Chardonnay is exactly why I love this region so much.
If you love a Chardy with loads of character, you need to add this to your list. On the nose, it’s all ripe stonefruit and zesty lemon, with just a cheeky whisper of oak. Take a sip, and it is so fresh and vibrant, think juicy honeydew melon, bright citrus, and a gorgeous little hint of vanilla.
But the absolute best part? That beautifully creamy mouthfeel that finishes with lingering notes of sweet honey and crisp green apple. Absolute perfection in a glass! ???
And it was actually a very tasty complement to the melt-in-your-mouth steak frites with Cafe de Paris butter ? ?
Angullong 2023 Fossil Hill Chardonnay
Winery: Angullong Estate
Region: Orange, NSW
Oak: Fermented in a combination of new (30%) and seasoned French oak
Cellaring: Made to enjoy now and over the next 7-8 years
ABV: 12.5%
Price: $30
Let’s head over to New South Wales for this next one, specifically to the picturesque foothills of Mount Canobolas in the Orange region (this region is definitely on my wine travel bucket list!)!
This high-elevation, cool-climate area produces some phenomenal wines, and this Chardonnay crafted by winemaker Jeff Byrne is an absolute standout.
In the glass, it pours a lovely pale straw colour with a youthful green hue. The nose is just stunning, bursting with lifted aromas of zesty lemon and citrus fruits, layered with a really intriguing nutty and herbaceous nuance. It also carries a touch of subtle oak that adds a beautiful level of complexity before you even take a sip.
On the palate, you are treated to a wonderfully full-flavoured cool-climate Chardonnay profile. It features a tight, refreshing natural acidity and an incredible fruit purity, highlighting flavours of lemon and grapefruit alongside hints of spice and fennel. It finishes with an attractive, linear textural mouthfeel and fantastic length, all perfectly supported by the oak.
If you are thinking about dinner plans, this wine is practically begging for a beautifully roast chicken!
Chardonnay FAQs
When is International Chardonnay Day?
Thursday 21st of May 2026.
Should I drink my Chardonnay ice cold?
Try not to! If your wine is too cold, you’ll actually numb all of those gorgeous aromas and complex flavours. You want to serve it chilled, but not freezing, around 10 to 12°C is perfect. A good trick is to pull your bottle out of the fridge about 15 to 20 minutes before you plan to pour your first glass. Or just leave it out at room temperature as you devour it 😉
Are all Chardonnays really oaky and buttery?
Not at all! While the big, rich, buttery styles are an absolute classic (and so comforting!), the Chardonnay grape is actually incredibly versatile. Depending on where it’s grown and how the winemaker treats it, you can find super lean, crisp, and citrus-driven styles with zero oak, right through to beautifully balanced cool-climate drops that sit perfectly in the middle. There is truly a style out there for everyone.
What foods pair best with Chardonnay?
Because there are so many different styles, it is a brilliant food wine! Leaner, crisper Chardys are a match made in heaven for fresh seafood and delicate fish dishes. If you are opening a richer, oakier style, go for roast chicken, creamy pastas, and it even pairs perfectly with pork! And of course, you can never go wrong with a loaded cheeseboard.
Chardonnay B is a French white grape variety. Originally from the Burgundy vineyard, it has become an international grape variety that has conquered many countries …
I couldn’t agree more Stewart – Voyager do fantastic Chardonnays. It’s been too long since my last one, so I must hunt a bottle out. I haven’t tried the Amato one, so I’ll have to add that to my wish list. Thank you for the heads up there 🙂 Mmm yes pork and Chardonnay!! Thanks for stopping by for a read Stewart, enjoy Chardonnay Day on Thursday 🙂
Hi Casey,
Great selection. I would also recommend any Chardonnay from Voyager Estate, or if you are looking for something a wee bit more “natural” then Amato Wines would be my recommendation. In terms of wine and food pairing then Chardonnay goes perfectly with pork IMO! And please fell free to edit my post if you are not comfortable with my naming the individual wine producers…as you know I hope I’m a wine lover with no commercial angle!