2025 Dirty Three ‘All The Dirts’ Chardonnay | Gippsland, VIC | 96+ Points

🏆 96+ Points | One of Gippsland's Most Exciting Chardonnays – From the Man They Call Mr Gippsland!

96+ Points – Halliday Wine Companion | 95 Points – The Wine Front

An Extraordinary Chardonnay from Marcus Satchell – And a Winery with a Fascinating Connection to Four Pillars Gin!

2025 Dirty Three ‘All The Dirts’ Chardonnay

South Gippsland, Victoria

RRP $55

What happens when a winemaker who knows the vineyards of South Gippsland better than almost anyone else brings together extraordinary Chardonnay fruit from one of Australia's most exciting emerging wine regions?

You get one hell of a Chardonnay!

And that's exactly what we have here with the 2025 Dirty Three ‘All The Dirts’ Chardonnay.

This is seriously exciting drinking.

Beautiful citrus fruit.

Grapefruit and lemon.

A wonderful touch of ginger spice.

Subtle toasted nuts.

Creamy texture.

And an extraordinary line of mouth-watering acidity.

And look at the scores!

96+ POINTS – HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION!

95 POINTS – THE WINE FRONT!

But here's what makes this wine particularly interesting.

The man behind it is Marcus Satchell.

A winemaker so closely associated with South Gippsland that he's earned the nickname:

MR GIPPSLAND!

And the story behind Dirty Three is one of the most fascinating in Australian wine.

Dirty Three – A Winery with a Remarkable Story

Dirty Three began in 2012 as a project between three mates.

Marcus Satchell.

Stuart Gregor.

Cameron McKenzie.

They shared a love of wine, good food, music and having a great time.

But here's the fascinating part.

Stuart Gregor and Cameron McKenzie went on to help build one of Australia's most celebrated craft spirits businesses.

Four Pillars Gin!

That's right.

One of Australia's most exciting boutique wine labels has a direct connection to one of the country's great modern gin success stories.

The original partners went their separate ways amicably in 2016.

Marcus continued developing Dirty Three with his wife Lisa Sartori.

And the business has grown into one of South Gippsland's most distinctive boutique wineries.

The emphasis has always been on something simple.

Great vineyards. Great fruit. Minimal interference. Extraordinary wine.

And that's exactly what makes their Chardonnay so exciting.

Marcus Satchell – The Man They Call Mr Gippsland

Marcus Satchell is one of the most interesting winemakers working in Victoria.

Born and raised in South Gippsland, Marcus has an extraordinary understanding of the region's vineyards.

He developed his winemaking experience in the Yarra Valley and overseas before returning home.

And since then, he's become deeply involved in helping shape the quality and reputation of South Gippsland wines.

He's worked across numerous vineyards and wineries throughout the district.

He's a winemaker.

A viticulturist.

A consultant.

And someone who genuinely understands how different vineyard sites behave.

That knowledge is particularly important in Gippsland.

Because this is not a region where every vineyard is the same.

Far from it.

The landscape, soils, elevations and maritime influences can change enormously over relatively short distances.

And Marcus has made it his mission to understand those differences.

That's why his wines have so much personality.

Why the Name ‘All The Dirts’?

Here's something I love about Dirty Three.

The name isn't simply a clever marketing exercise.

It reflects Marcus's fascination with the relationship between vineyards, soils and wine.

The original Dirty Three philosophy centred on Pinot Noir grown across three distinct vineyard sites.

Three different expressions of the land.

Three different sets of growing conditions.

Three different personalities.

And the idea that great wine should reflect those differences.

The ‘All The Dirts’ wines take that philosophy in another direction.

Rather than concentrating on a single vineyard expression, the aim is to create a beautifully balanced wine that captures the broader character of South Gippsland.

It's about bringing complementary vineyard characteristics together.

Fruit concentration.

Freshness.

Texture.

Mineral structure.

And beautiful natural acidity.

The result is a Chardonnay with complexity, harmony and genuine regional character.

South Gippsland – One of Australia's Most Exciting Chardonnay Regions

If you're serious about Australian Chardonnay, South Gippsland deserves your attention.

And here's why.

This beautiful part of Victoria lies between the Bass Strait coastline and the rolling hills of Gippsland.

It's a region strongly influenced by the surrounding ocean.

Cool conditions.

Regular maritime breezes.

Variable vineyard aspects.

And a long growing season.

These conditions can be absolutely magnificent for Chardonnay.

The fruit develops flavour gradually.

Natural acidity can be beautifully preserved.

And the wines often display wonderful combinations of citrus, stone fruit, savoury complexity and mineral freshness.

But here's what makes Gippsland particularly fascinating.

The vineyards are not all alike.

Some are close to the coast.

Others sit inland among the hills.

Some have relatively sheltered aspects.

Others are exposed to the cooling maritime influence.

And the soils can vary significantly.

That diversity is exactly what makes the region so exciting.

Four Vineyards – Four Different Chardonnay Personalities

Dirty Three has previously explained how its All The Dirts Chardonnay draws on fruit from several fascinating South Gippsland vineyards.

These have included:

Toms Cap – Near Yarram

A site capable of producing Chardonnay with linear structure and beautiful fruit expression.

Silverwaters – Overlooking Western Port

A strongly maritime vineyard, contributing generous stone fruit character and excellent acidity.

Berrys Creek

A north-facing vineyard associated with fine, mineral-driven Chardonnay.

Tilson Vineyard – Near Leongatha

An east-facing site that can bring remarkable acid purity and length.

What's fascinating is how these different vineyard personalities can complement each other.

One parcel may contribute fruit richness.

Another may bring mineral tension.

Another freshness.

Another length.

And when the blending is done well, the result can be greater than the individual components.

That's the magic of a beautifully constructed regional Chardonnay.

Tasting Notes – Lemon, Grapefruit, Ginger Spice and Extraordinary Freshness

The 2025 Dirty Three ‘All The Dirts’ Chardonnay is a beautifully expressive wine.

And here's what makes it particularly exciting.

It has complexity.

It has texture.

It has savoury character.

But it also has extraordinary freshness.

The aromas reveal a fascinating combination of:

• Fresh lemon and lemon zest

• Grapefruit

• Ginger spice

• White stone fruit

• Subtle toasted nuts

• Delicate buttery complexity

• Creamy lees character

• Fine spicy oak

• Gentle savoury notes

The palate is absolutely gorgeous.

There's beautiful citrus concentration, with lemon and grapefruit providing energy and freshness.

A little ginger spice adds an intriguing aromatic lift.

Then comes the texture.

Creamy.

Beautifully integrated.

With just enough buttery and nutty complexity to make the wine seriously interesting.

But nothing is overdone.

The oak is beautifully judged.

The fruit remains vibrant.

And the acidity?

Absolutely mouth-watering!

It drives the wine through the palate and into a wonderfully long finish.

Lemon. Grapefruit. Ginger spice. Toasted nuts. Creamy texture. Fine oak. Extraordinary acidity.

This is a Chardonnay that combines complexity with sheer drinkability.

And that's a wonderful combination.

The Winemaking Philosophy – Purity, Texture and Restraint

Marcus Satchell's approach to winemaking is centred on allowing exceptional fruit to express itself.

The philosophy at Dirty Three is straightforward.

Grow great fruit.

Pick it at the right moment.

And avoid unnecessary manipulation in the winery.

It's a philosophy that places enormous importance on vineyard work.

Because when the fruit is right, you don't need to force the wine into a particular style.

Previous All The Dirts Chardonnay releases have used wild fermentation and French oak puncheons to build texture and complexity.

But the defining character of the wine remains its balance.

Beautiful fruit.

Fine savoury complexity.

Fresh acidity.

And a sense of place.

The 2025 release captures those qualities wonderfully.

Why Gippsland Chardonnay Is Becoming So Exciting

For years, much of the conversation about Australia's greatest Chardonnays has focused on Margaret River, the Yarra Valley, Beechworth, Tasmania and the Adelaide Hills.

And those regions remain extraordinary.

But Gippsland is increasingly producing wines that deserve to be part of the same conversation.

The best examples can have wonderful fruit concentration.

But also a freshness and mineral precision that makes them particularly compelling.

And there are some seriously talented winemakers working in the region.

Marcus Satchell is one of them.

What I find particularly exciting is that Gippsland still feels