Chameleon Chardonnay: Save our Souls "Skin on Skin" 2015

Exhibit A today is a 100% Chardonnay from a hip Aussie winemaking duo - William Downie, who became infamous for his $100 Pinot Noir in 2013, and compatriot Jason Searle, together "Save our Souls". The fruit hails from the relatively cool climate Morningto

(Almost) every week, I select an orange wine (a white wine made with extended skin contact) that grabbed my attention. View the whole series here.

You probably knew someone in school like this: They were good at everything, straight A grades, always a smile on their face, always surrounded by friends and always on the winning football/rugby/rowing/darts team. It was fruitless to hate them - they'd probably just come and give you a big hug and make you feel even more bitter.

Chardonnay's exactly that kind of over-achiever - even the haters are palmed quickly off onto Chablis or Jura. It's a grape variety that excels at just about anything - world domination - serious, oak influenced and age-worthy - mass-market supermarket plonk - nervy, fresh yet utterly distinct and natural. Even adding a bit (or a lot in this case) of skin contact works beautifully.

Exhibit A today is a 100% Chardonnay from a hip Aussie winemaking duo - William Downie, who became infamous for his $100 Pinot Noir in 2013