Wilimee

By Chardonnay 2025

On the windswept eastern edge of the Macedon Ranges, just outside Lancefield, the old Portree vineyard was one of the region’s original plantings, dating back to 1982. Its late-ripening site at 600 metres, on rare Cambrian soils with patches of granite, has long produced Chardonnay prized by local winemakers, including Joshua Cooper. Since 2013 it has belonged to winemaker Ben Ranken and his wife Sally Richardson, who renamed it Wilimee and have nurtured the vines back to full health with a minimal-intervention approach. Their “By” range offers a more accessible, freer expression of Ben’s winemaking. Expect a bright, cool-climate Chardonnay of crushed rock, flint, green apple and citrus, with a delicate floral lift, a fine line of acidity and a clean, mineral finish. Pour it with seafood, roast chicken or soft cheeses.