Hoddles Creek Revisited
It was a long way back when I last—first—visited Hoddles Creek Estate. I'd dropped by en route to Healesville, having spent the latter part of the arvo tasting at Gembrook Hill. Dusk had disappeared; night not quite arrived. Vines and wires were barely discernible, so too late for a tour of the estate.
We tasted extensively of the liquid tha land grows though, which is when I grabbed the picture of Franco d’Anna—published here—wine thief in hand, speaking eloquently of his Pinot as he drew it from barrel. Checking the file’s exif data I'm apprised that it was taken almost exactly a decade ago to the month that I commenced compiling the lines here—25th June 2105 at 17:55. The time being confirmed by Franco’s wristwatch..
These observations are prompted following a revisit—in full, autumn light of day—in May last year. There were many that things I wanted to see at Hoddles—to get a feel for— as over that past decade I reckon I’ve tasted almost every single wine they’ve bottled.
Hoddles Creek Syberia vineyard. Pic: Tim White
On more than one occasion, when I’ve requested a bit more detail from Franco beyond the pithy observations he provides on the stickers attached to tasting samples (see here). He might inform me, for example, that the fruit for a certain wine is grown, ‘…over the road’. Which has left me just as in the dark as on that first visit. Until returning in May 2025.
Vine Undressing
So we did the full tour. We being me, Franco and Rob Sutherland, De Bortoli’s Yarra Valley viticulturist and an individual whose knowledge of the liquid in the glass is as vast as his understanding as to how to grow it. So I could rely on him to ask the penetrating questions.
The chilly, frost-prone Hoddles Creek Road block, planted to the Mendoza clone of Chardonnay. Pic: Tim White
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Tasting Junior and other blancs from tank with Franco d’Anna, 21st May 2025. Pic: Tim White
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Hoddles Creek Estate’s Junior Pinot Blanc block. Pic: Tim White
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New plantings of clone P58 and 95 Chardonnay to the east of the Junior block. Pic: Tim White
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Hoddles Creek Estate, 505 Gembrook Rd, Hoddles Creek Vic 3139
Franco d’Anna of Hoddles Creek Estate in the cellar, 25th June 2015. Pic: Tim White
Written and published by Tim White, June/July 2026
Hoddles Creek Rewound
TASTING SAMPLES FROM HODDLE’S CREEK ESTATE are never accompanied by a media release or a ream of technical and production notes: at least not the ones I receive. Instead Franco d’Anna attaches a small sticker to each bottle which states the RRP and provides just one pithy observation — occasionally a couple — about the delicious liquid contents.
This detail might address how long the whole bunch Pinot Gris had been on skins and the nature of the oak used (varies a bit according to vintage, but in 2020 30% remained on skins, 70% into older oak, and the ’16 had 7 days skin contact). Or the vine age of estate’s Pinot Blanc (23 years, as of the 2020). Or vineyard info such as this on the appended sticker of the PSB ’17 Pinot: “Single block, close planted, MV6 & Pommard cloned (sic).” But, to HCE’s Chardonnays.
Taking a look at my database of previously tasted vintages from this sensational-value, top-tier, Upper Yarra producer I rediscovered the following. That the ’13 Estate — which I only got around to tasting in March last year after finding a sample in the cellar — was composed of “13 different ferments”. It was still looking pretty good, although a bit dried up on the finish.
The sticker on the ’17 Road Block had read, “'East facing block terraced into the hill. Mendoza clone on 101-14 rootstock.” This is interesting info for me as I regularly detect a distinct ‘Thai baby pineapple’ character in wines containing large portions of Mendoza. I do note ‘dried pineappley’ on the nose of the ’18 Road Block reviewed below.
That stated, I have certainly used this descriptor for Chardonnays with nary a skerrick of Mendoza in them, and I did not make any ‘baby pines’ observation about the ’17 Road Block when I tasted it eighteen months prior to the ’18. I’m publishing my review of same below for context and reference. Curiously, I do make a Grüner-like root-vegetably connection between the two wines. (Just to reiterate: both wines assessed in separate half-blind’ tastings — so labels unsighted).
The detail on the 2018 Estate Chardonnay Franco had provided is also pertinent to the wines below: “Warmer season so picked a little earlier. Looking for texture.” I’ve written previously that ’18 vintage in the Yarra (and elsewhere in South Eastern Australia, notably the Adelaide Hills) has produced many high-quality, but rather plain-tasting Chardonnays — and pinots for that matter — except for those (typically) from cooler sites. (See also my review of Oakridge’s ’18 Yarra Valley Chardonnay here which is still available and an absolute bargain for such a seriously good wine).
But specifically — finally! — to the trio of sublime Chardonnays from the 2018 vintage which prompted these HCE sticker detail reveries. Of the 2018 Syberia (reviewed) d’Anna opines, “In my top 3 Chardonnays that I've made.” So one obviously needed to enquire of the winegrower which were the other two. (For the record I also informed d’Anna that I thought the ’18 1er THE best Chardonnay he’d ever crafted.)
Franco’s reply came back with the same concision as that of his sticker communications: “2010 1ER Chardonnay and 2003 Estate my other two. Don’t disagree with the 18 1ER just a soft spot for Syberia.” I couldn’t find a record of the ’10 1er in my database, but I did one for the ’03 Estate which I tasted over dinner at Scopri in Carlton way back in Feb ’11 with Franco and his brother Anthony. ‘Anth’ runs the family’s fabulous bottle-shop and deli business, Boccaccio Cellars in Balwyn.
The ’03 then was in a perfect place. It was creamy, still charged with plenty of peel and pineapple edginess. My notes say it was released as a clean-skin! I can’t wait until I can get to Melbourne again to repeat the exercise — of dinner, or lunch — with the beauties below. Because these ’18s are the Top 3 HCE Chardonnays that I’ve tasted.
Latest Reviews
Cat and Frank Chardonnay 2025 (Yarra Valley, Vic)
This smells like some fun. Compressed toffee crab apple and chamomile*. Faintly musqué—apple blossom—Chardonnay drifting fleetingly and then a golden fuzzy glow as it begins to warm and open. There’s Brebis/Manchego* adding a more caramel cheese sapid sniff as well. So lovely. Tight, sweet-sharp apple into white nectarine on the tongue, building really melty —nourishing—acidity and a peach skin chew as it travels and lengthens. There’s a fab smashed nectarine stone bite at the back. There’s edginess, but also lustre. 94/100 (e) - 10/10 (h) - 😋😋😋 - $30 cellar direct.
* The reference to chamomile and toffee apple are pulled from a palate memory of way back: a divine dining experience at The Royal Mail, Dunkeld when the visionary Dan Hunter was in residence. Apple, triple cream, caramel, chamomile — was one of three concluding sweet courses. Don’t know what in this wine sparked this recollection, but it did. Later I got to thinking also about Chris Bianco in the Chef’s Table Pizza series on Netflix, when he relays a story about his first visit to Italy and the pure pleasure and enlightenment he discovered in the flavour of a divine peach plucked from an ice-filled pewter bowl for dessert at a simple Trattoria. He recalls of the tasting experience: ‘It was like I’d never had food before.’
If you’re new to wine—or Chardonnay—this might leave a similar impression. Clearly the fruit in this delightful vino is of impeccable provenance. As Catia d’Anna, Franco and Jacqui’s second eldest daughter informs us, with the minimal detail bottle sticker favoured by her father: 'Sourced from the Upper Yarra, for the second release I wanted to tease out a little more phenolics, texture while maintaining line and length in a warm vintage.’ The grapes were sourced from a vineyard is located at Yarra Junction.
Hoddles Creek Estate 1er Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2024 (Yarra Valley, Vic)
Smells deep and small cell crunchy: corella pear, cox's orange pippin. With warmth it builds candied lemon, a gentle pineyness, and also baby pineapple sharpness. There’s transitory Lucknow fennel. Crisp, crunchy and chewy/grippy on the tongue with zing and zest, becoming more larger in cell structure as it evolves across the palate. Get’s melty and more Meyer lemon perfumed. An intense, juicy core of fruit for it to evolve around for a good few years yet. 95(96)/100 (e) - 9/10 (h) - 😋😋😋 - $70 cellar direct. The best Hoddles 1er since 2020 I reckon, although the ’23 runs it close.
It was difficut to pick one of Franco’s recent Chardonnays to stick along side Catia’s, but this provides the right foil I reckon. It’s from a perfect spot on the family estate and and you can’t go past the Burgundy homage label for pure fun on screen. Franco’s sticker reads: 'Top grafted in 2003 from (Pinot) vines planted in 2001. Just looked like a good site for Chard. Planted on the crest of a hill with a slight east facing aspect.'
Hoddles Creek Estate Pinot Noir 2025 (Yarra Valley, Vic)
NOT Pinot!* Now, I don’t mean this in any kind of a bad way. Indeed this red has some style. It’s kind of Dolcetto-like which I’m totally up for. So: dusty, brandied black cherry pit, and blood plum deep. Not especially fleshy in the mouth, but there’s plenty of flavour: blood plum skin again, slightly grainy poached quince textured, and while it might lack (for some) desirable pinot slipperiness, it’s evened out with dusty tannins and sweet-sharp-bitter dry mixed peel. And there’s some fruit mince pie crustiness. Nero rather than noir; and that’s no bad thing as a bit of a change. 90/100 (e) - 8/10 (h) - 😋😋 - $25.99 cellar direct.
*This observation made at first nose and meaning that there wasn’t the fragrance I’d expect in a cool-grown Aussie Pinot—and this was assessed with a few others I had to hand.
But then Franco’s always plain speaking sticker info provides some explanation:
‘Was an intense harvest. Super early and warm. Started pretty early and finished quite late, with all our good stuff in the middle. Upper Yarra should have perfume, so was easy in a in a hot year to make dry red. Very careful on the tannins, just to pull out the fine stuff towards middle and end of ferment.’
I’d like to be a mosca on the wall when the judges are discussing this one at the upcoming Yarra Valley Wine Show. Assuming it’s entered.
So dry red it is in ’25—and a darned tasty one—of a Dolcetto-kind (to this palate anyhoo). It’s interesting to observe as I’ve made ‘Italianate’ observations about Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir before. Notably, the sublime ’21 PSB.
Hoddles Creek Estate Chardonnay 2025 (Yarra Valley, Vic)
Dehydrated peach and tight, tingly-smelling baby pineapple. A just-milled, wheaty fruity freshness and yellow stone-fruit skin exuberance. And a gentle, perfumed quince skin thing too. Not quite as juicy on the palate as expected, but there’s still plenty to suck on. Pear bosc skin-textured, and a little bit arugula bitter in the last third—in a positive way. This among mouth-sucking stone-fruit kernel and pink saltiness. Tight, chewy-grippy, iced, ground fennel river pebbles too. Density. Grip. Chew. Glutamate. This is a fun ride. 92/100 (e) - 8/10 (h) - 😋😋 - $25.99 cellar direct.
Here is the unusually lengthy detail on Franco’s tasting sample sticker label: ‘Our earliest start since we first started in 2000. We picked this in two phases. One pick (1/3) was around 11.5 for acid and spine. The second pick was 12.8 to get some flavour and texture. Hot years it’s always a balance between getting flavour and still maintaining line.’
Wine five
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Hoddle's Creek Estate Syberia Chardonnay 2018
Compressed, chilled yellow peach skin and stone: flinty, fennel seed ice. Has serious fruit depth. Palate has incredible density and texture in the mouth also, with lots to suck on and yet with a reserve — an austerity — about it also. It’s a Chardonnay which is more about density and complexity of texture than exuberant fruit expression, although there’s still mouthwatering peel and white stone fruit kernel and fuzz aplenty to finish. Can’t recall giving a wine — and a seriously complex tasting one — so many points with so few flavour descriptors. 95(96)/100, 9/10, $60.
Hoddle's Creek Estate 1er Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2018
Edgy and restrained: primal. Reminds me of an old Mount Mary*. Smells like icy, mashed raspberry pips and chilled white nectarine stones. Not so much struck-match, as delicate smoked port fat. There's radish and daikon sorts of things too. Just gets better and better in the glass. Tastes bracing and energy-charged also. Pure, fuzzy, yellow peach flesh and stone at its core — really dense and mouth-sucking in the middle, compressed stone fruit taste and texture — and with that early cane-berry edginess. You can almost see the frosty raspberry leaves among the gently glowing yellow fruit. Hazelnut and gruyere mouth-aromas in a wave of valedictory sea-spray. Hang on to a bottle or two or this for a few more years if you can. 96(97)/100, 10/10, $50.
*Tasted in a half-blind line-up incidentally, albeit with the knowledge that there were a few Yarra Chardonnays among the number.
Hoddle's Creek Estate Road Block Chardonnay 2018
Fuzzy, yellow peach skin, contrasted with green mango: such pure, translucent fruit. Crab apple. Wheatgerm. Gets more glowing and dried pineappley as it warms. Has Grüner Veltliner-like root veggie characters too: sweet smelling, but sapid. Gentle peach and creaminess in the mouth — silky through the middle — with breaking, melting acidity. There’s a macadamia nutty creaminess to the finish. Subtle sulphide mouth-aromas also, but complexing and not drying. Dried tangerine skin too. Completes a quite beautifully connected trio. 95(96)/100, 9/10, $60.
Updated 26-07-31: The Road Block vineyard is the first you encounter as you cross Gembrook Road to the west of the original estate vineyard. It’s the coolest, frostiest block on the property which presents something of an issue especially as it’s planted to Mendoza a.k.a. Gin Gin, a notoriously fickle clone prone to hen and chicken (a.k.a. pumpkin and peas, millerandage—i.e. poor fruit set).
