Swinging Bridge Mrs Payten Chardonnay 2024 from Orange, NSW is a beautifully expressive cool‑climate Chardonnay named for Tom Ward’s grandmother, bringing together high‑altitude fruit and tightly grained French oak in a refined, modern style. Swinging Bridge Mrs Payten Chardonnay 2024 balances rich citrus and stone fruit with creamy depth and driving natural acidity, giving you both generosity and precision in the glass.

Aromas roll out in waves of juicy nectarine, white peach and fine citrus, backed by toasted vanilla, biscuit and a gentle flinty edge from wild ferment and solids. The palate is medium‑bodied and beautifully shaped – stone fruit and zesty lemon glide across a creamy lees‑built core, cut by cool‑climate acidity and finishing long with a lingering toasty‑biscuit, savoury note that screams food‑friendly Chardonnay.

For food, Swinging Bridge Mrs Payten Chardonnay 2024 is a natural with grilled John Dory as the estate suggests, but also shines with roast chicken, pan‑seared scallops, richer white‑fish dishes or a mushroom and leek bake where its texture and acidity really sing. With its pedigree, structure and fine oak handling, it’s delicious now but has the bones to cellar for up to a decade, gaining extra nutty, toasty complexity over time.