House Of Cards The Royals Chardonnay 2025

Awards and Accolades

Gold Medal and 98 Points – 2026 International Wine & Spirit Competition

House of Cards The Royals Chardonnay 2025 received 98 points and a Gold Medal at the IWSC

The international panel found perfumed burnt lime and smoked flint leading into concentrated stone fruit, crisp acidity and a refined, mouth-coating texture. The finish was long, savoury and filled with precise energy.

A score of 98 points places this wine at the very top of the IWSC Gold Medal range and made it one of the highest-scoring wines entered in the 2026 judging.

96 Points – Ray Jordan

These chardonnays from House of Cards have been elevated in recent years to another level. This is a wonderful example of the style and the vintage. It was whole-bunch pressed and fermented in a mix of 52% new French oak and some concrete. A further 11 months in oak enhanced its layered richness and complexity. Notes of butterscotch and quince combine with subtle flinty, savoury elements. It’s a wine of tremendous power, with a palate that extends to a very long finish.

2026 IWSC Western Australian Wine Producer Trophy

House of Cards was named the 2026 IWSC Western Australian Wine Producer Trophy winner following an exceptional series of results.

The Royals Chardonnay 2025 played a major role in that achievement with its 98-point Gold Medal, alongside the perfect 100-point result awarded to the flagship Ace High Chardonnay.

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Bright pale straw with youthful golden highlights.
• Aromatics: Perfumed burnt lime, smoked flint and ripe stone fruit are layered with quince, subtle butterscotch and gentle oak-derived complexity.
• Fruit: Concentrated white peach and stone fruit sit alongside grapefruit, lime and preserved citrus.
• Palate: Powerful and intensely flavoured, with considerable fruit weight carried by a precise line of crisp natural acidity.
• Texture: Refined and mouth-coating, with creamy richness through the middle and a firmer mineral line developing towards the finish.
• Savoury character: Flint, smoke and subtle nutty notes prevent the ripe fruit and oak from becoming overly rich.
• Oak: French oak brings structure, gentle spice and depth without obscuring the wine’s citrus and stone-fruit characters.
• Finish: Exceptionally long, savoury and energetic, with lingering quince, stone fruit, burnt lime and smoky minerality.

Wine Details

• Vintage: 2025
• Variety: 100% Chardonnay
• Region: Margaret River, Western Australia
• Subregion: Yallingup
• Vineyard: House of Cards’ single 12-hectare vineyard
• Vineyard certification: Certified organic by Southern Cross Organic
• Pressing: Whole-bunch pressed
• Fermentation vessels: 70% French oak and 30% concrete egg
• New oak: 57%
• Fermentation: 100% wild yeast fermentation
• Malolactic fermentation: 30% wild malolactic fermentation
• Maturation: 11 months in oak
• Style: Dry white wine
• Alcohol: 13.4%
• Closure: Screwcap
• Bottle size: 750 mL
• Cellaring: Up to approximately 10 years
• Serving temperature: Approximately 10 to 12°C

The Outstanding 2025 Margaret River Vintage

The 2025 Margaret River vintage followed a wet winter and moderate spring before moving into a warm, consistently dry summer.

Cooling afternoon sea breezes moderated the temperatures and allowed the grapes to ripen steadily over an extended period. Disease pressure remained low, allowing Chardonnay to be harvested in excellent condition with strong flavour development and beautifully retained natural acidity.

The vintage has been recognised as one of Margaret River’s best in recent years, with particularly strong results for Chardonnay.

In The Royals Chardonnay, those conditions can be seen in the combination of concentrated stone fruit, powerful flavour, vibrant acidity and impressive length.

Winemaking

The Chardonnay grapes were whole-bunch pressed, allowing the juice to be extracted gently while limiting the amount of coarse material drawn from the skins and seeds.

Fermentation took place in a combination of French oak and concrete egg. Seventy per cent of the wine was fermented in French oak, including 57% new oak, while the remaining 30% was fermented in concrete egg.

The fermentation relied entirely on wild yeast. These naturally occurring yeasts can contribute greater aromatic complexity, texture and individuality than a straightforward inoculated fermentation.

Thirty per cent of the wine completed wild malolactic fermentation. This process softens some of the sharper natural acidity and helps create the subtle butterscotch and creamy characters found through the middle of the palate.

Maturation continued in oak for 11 months, allowing the fruit, lees, oak and fermentation-derived flavours to become seamlessly integrated.

French Oak and Concrete Egg

French oak gives The Royals Chardonnay structure, texture and subtle flavours of smoke, spice, nuts and butterscotch.

The high proportion of new oak suits the concentration of the 2025 fruit. Rather than dominating the wine, the oak supports its powerful stone-fruit and quince flavours while adding complexity and helping prepare it for cellaring.

The concrete egg contributes something different. Concrete does not add woody flavour, allowing the fruit, acidity and mineral characters to remain clear.

Its curved shape can encourage the wine and fine yeast lees to move naturally, helping build texture without sacrificing freshness.

Together, the two vessels create a Chardonnay that feels powerful and mouth-filling but remains precise, energetic and distinctly savoury.

Serving and Cellaring

Serve House of Cards The Royals Chardonnay 2025 at approximately 10 to 12°C.

If it has been stored in a cold refrigerator, allow the bottle to stand at room temperature for approximately 15 minutes before serving. Serving it too cold can temporarily hide its stone fruit, texture and savoury complexity.

When drinking it young, open the bottle approximately 20 to 30 minutes before serving. A brief decant can also help reveal the quince, stone fruit and creamy texture beneath its initial flinty aromas.

The wine can be enjoyed now, particularly by those who enjoy powerful and tightly structured Chardonnay. It also has the concentration and acidity to develop for up to 10 years under suitable storage conditions.

With time, the fresh citrus and stone fruit should evolve towards roasted nuts, preserved lemon, toast, honey and additional savoury complexity.

Food Pairing 

• Grilled crayfish or lobster: Sweet shellfish complements the wine’s stone fruit and creamy texture, while its crisp acidity keeps the combination fresh.
• Seared scallops: The wine’s quince, butterscotch and gentle oak characters suit the sweetness and caramelisation of scallops.
• Roast chicken: Flinty, smoky and nutty flavours complement roasted poultry, particularly when served with lemon and herbs.
• Oven-baked dhufish: The concentration and texture are ideal for firm white fish with browned butter, capers or citrus.
• Pork belly: Bright acidity cuts through the richness, while the wine’s stone fruit and savoury oak complement the caramelised meat.
• Creamy seafood pasta: The Chardonnay has enough weight for a creamy sauce without losing freshness.
• Mushroom risotto: Earthy mushrooms suit the wine’s savoury flint, gentle nuttiness and mouth-coating texture.
• Roast cauliflower: Try it with toasted almonds, browned butter and fresh herbs.
• Firm cheese: Comté, Gruyère and mature cheddar work beautifully with its texture, oak and savoury finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 98-point IWSC Gold Medal mean?

A score of 98 points places this wine within the highest level of the IWSC Gold Medal range. It indicates exceptional concentration, complexity, balance, texture and length.

The Royals Chardonnay 2025 was only two points short of a perfect score and was one of the highest-scoring wines at the 2026 judging.

Is the 2025 better than the 2024 vintage?

Both are excellent wines, but the new release achieved a significantly higher international score.

The 2024 vintage received 95 points and a Gold Medal at the 2025 IWSC. The 2025 release received 98 points and a Gold Medal at the 2026 judging, along with 96 points from Ray Jordan and 93 points at the Sydney Royal Wine Show.

The scores indicate that the 2025 is a major release for The Royals Chardonnay.

Is this a rich or lean Chardonnay?

It combines elements of both styles.

Stone fruit, quince, butterscotch, lees and French oak provide power, richness and texture. Burnt lime, grapefruit, crisp acidity, smoked flint and mineral savouriness give the wine definition and energy.

It is concentrated and mouth-filling but not broad, soft or excessively buttery.

Is The Royals Chardonnay organic?

Yes. It is made from fruit grown in House of Cards’ single Yallingup vineyard, which is certified organic by Southern Cross Organic.

Why is some of the Chardonnay fermented in concrete egg?

Concrete egg allows the wine to ferment without taking on additional oak flavour. This helps protect fruit purity, natural acidity and mineral definition.

The curved vessel can also encourage movement of the wine and fine yeast lees, building texture naturally. It provides a fresh, precise counterpoint to the richer French oak component.

What does wild yeast fermentation contribute?

Wild fermentation uses yeasts naturally present on the grapes and within the winery.

These fermentations can create additional layers of aroma, flavour and texture. In The Royals Chardonnay, wild fermentation contributes to its combination of citrus, stone fruit, smoke, savoury complexity and creamy texture.

What is malolactic fermentation?

Malolactic fermentation converts sharper malic acid into softer lactic acid.

Thirty per cent of this wine completed wild malolactic fermentation, adding creaminess and subtle butterscotch characters while leaving enough natural acidity to keep the finished Chardonnay fresh and precise.

Should I decant this Chardonnay?

Decanting is optional but can be beneficial while the wine is young.

Open it approximately 20 to 30 minutes before serving. If it initially appears tight or strongly flinty, a brief decant will help its stone fruit, quince and creamy texture become more expressive.

How long can I cellar it?

Ray Jordan recommends cellaring for up to 10 years.

Stored somewhere cool, dark and temperature stable, the wine should develop through approximately 2035 to 2036. Its citrus and stone-fruit flavours will gradually move towards preserved lemon, roasted nuts, toast, honey and savoury complexity.