The Shaw + Smith M3 Chardonnay 2024 is a distinguished white wine hailing from the highly regarded Adelaide Hills region of South Australia. This cuvée showcases the finest expression of Chardonnay – “M3” refers to the three founders of the estate and their uncompromising approach to quality. The 2024 vintage benefits from a cool, balanced season, enabling slow ripening and excellent preservation of natural acidity. Crafted exclusively from Chardonnay grown on selected vineyard sites, the wine is typically fermented with wild yeasts and matured in a proportion of new and seasoned French oak barrels. This process imparts complexity, subtle creaminess, and gentle spice, beautifully integrated with pristine citrus and white peach fruit. The palate is elegant and structured, lifted by energetic acidity and a long, mineral-inflected finish.
Adelaide Hills has built a reputation as one of Australia’s premier cool-climate wine regions. The elevated vineyards enjoy significant diurnal temperature variations, allowing grapes to develop intense aromas while retaining refreshing acidity. The region’s ancient soils, a mix of sandy loams and clay with scattered gravel, further encourage the cultivation of expressive, terroir-driven Chardonnays. A relatively young wine region by Australian standards, Adelaide Hills has only been widely recognised since the late twentieth century, but it has rapidly become synonymous with innovative, high-quality winemaking.
This M3 Chardonnay pairs splendidly with refined seafood dishes such as seared scallops, grilled barramundi, or lobster with a buerre blanc sauce. Roast chicken with tarragon, creamy prawn risotto, or a mild Thai green curry also complement the wine’s vibrant fruit and subtle oak character. For a local Australian touch, consider serving it alongside Moreton Bay bugs or a fresh kingfish sashimi with a squeeze of lime.
For optimal enjoyment, serve this wine slightly chilled at around 10-12°C to highlight its layered aromatics and texture. Decanting for thirty minutes can help the flavours unfold, and using larger, tulip-shaped glasses will encourage the wine’s complexity to develop in the glass.
