This wine is extra-special to Nigel. The 2007 vintage of it was his first solo wine - two barrels of Chardonnay made in his garage.

He’s held onto the same vineyard ever since - it’s in Wilyabrup, the heart of Margaret River.

According to Nigel this rocky vineyard isn’t much to look at - but it produces the pristine fruit which is the secret weapon to this wine.

After picking, Nigel throws everything into barrel, where a natural fermentation slowly begins. He tells me the liquid is brown, almost mud-like at this stage. He doesn’t add any sulphur or preservatives - he’s basically un-learnt everything that’s taught in winemaking school.

But it works - during fermentation ‘there’s lots of stuff to chew on’ he says, which results in a Chardonnay loaded with character.

It stays in oak for 12 months and comes out just before bottling. ‘Easy peasy’ says Nigel.

It’s smoky, nutty and refined on the nose - and very flinty. The palate is intense and lush, with a very fine and very long finish.

Given it’s long sold-out in Australia, it's a real treat to get a small amount of this over to Ireland.