Temple Bruer Preservative Free Chardonnay 2024: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Creamy & lemon-curd

Fresh, bright and deliberately uncomplicated, Temple Bruer Preservative Free Chardonnay 2024 brings together lemon curd and passionfruit in a light, zesty style that is particularly refreshing at just 11.5% ABV. There is enough Chardonnay fruit to give the wine presence, but the overall impression is clean, lively and easy drinking rather than rich or heavily oaked. Certified organic, vegan friendly and made without added preservatives, it is a lovely warm-weather take on Chardonnay.

Highlights

• Certified organic, vegan friendly and preservative free
• Crafted by Temple Bruer — pioneers of organic and preservative-free winemaking in South Australia
• Lemon curd and passionfruit with a bright, zesty profile
• Organically grown South Australian Chardonnay
• Made without added sulphur dioxide
• 11.5% ABV

Tasting Notes

Lemon curd leads the aromatics, joined by fresh passionfruit and a lively citrus character. The palate is light and bright, with Chardonnay fruit providing gentle softness through the middle while fresh acidity keeps everything zesty and refreshing. At 11.5% alcohol, it remains light on its feet, finishing clean and dry rather than rich or heavy.

Winemaking

Temple Bruer makes its preservative-free wines without the addition of sulphur dioxide, relying instead on high-quality clean fruit, careful winery hygiene, low-SO₂-producing yeasts and precise oxygen management during winemaking, transport and bottling. The approach is designed to retain fruit purity while protecting the finished wine without conventional preservative additions.

Vineyard & Vintage

This 2024 Chardonnay is made from certified organic South Australian fruit. Temple Bruer farms organically and sustainably, avoiding synthetic herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers and placing fruit quality at the centre of its preservative-free winemaking. The finished wine is notably light at 11.5% ABV, with the emphasis firmly on freshness, citrus brightness and youthful fruit.

Why We Love It

This is Chardonnay for days when a big, buttery white is simply too much. Lemon curd gives it a little Chardonnay generosity, passionfruit adds a sunny aromatic lift, and the low 11.5% alcohol keeps the whole thing breezy and refreshing. Add certified organic farming, vegan-friendly production and no added preservatives and it becomes an exceptionally useful bottle for relaxed lunches and warm evenings.

Food Pairing

Fresh acidity and a light body make this best with dishes that are equally bright and uncomplicated. Citrus, fresh herbs, grilled seafood and vegetables are particularly good partners.

Try matching this wine with →

• Lemon and herb grilled fish — Find a Recipe
• Pumpkin, feta and herb salad — Find a Recipe
• Zucchini and ricotta pasta — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

Balmy evening, something simple on the table and no desire for a heavy wine. Its lighter alcohol and sunny citrus-tropical profile make it particularly well suited to long lunches, beach-house dinners and an easy glass before dinner.

Cellaring

This preservative-free Chardonnay is best enjoyed for its youthful fruit and freshness rather than long-term ageing. Drink now and over the short term, store in a cool, dark place and refrigerate promptly after opening.

Producer

Temple Bruer is one of the pioneers of organic wine in South Australia, with a history stretching back more than 50 years and a longstanding commitment to certified organic and sustainable farming. Its preservative-free program began in 2006, when Barbara Bruer challenged David Bruer to make wine without added SO₂. That experiment developed into a substantial preservative-free range. Temple Bruer combines clean organic fruit with meticulous winery hygiene, low-SO₂-producing yeasts and careful oxygen management during production and bottling. Its preservative-free bottled wines are independently tested by the Australian Wine Research Institute for detectable SO₂, making this an unusually established and technically considered approach to no-added-preservative wine.

Related Wines To Try →

If you enjoy fresh organic Chardonnay and wines made without added preservatives, these are three excellent bottles to explore next.

• Bright, biodynamic Chardonnay with finger lime and pear — Paxton NOW Preservative Free Chardonnay
• Fresh organic Chardonnay with lemon curd and green apple — Tamburlaine Preservative Free Chardonnay
• Stay with Temple Bruer but move into a silky, savoury red — Temple Bruer Preservative Free Pinot Noir

FAQ

What does Temple Bruer Preservative Free Chardonnay 2024 taste like?

Expect lemon curd and passionfruit with a bright, citrusy freshness. It is a light, lively Chardonnay rather than a big buttery style, finishing clean, dry and refreshing.

Is this Chardonnay dry or sweet?

This is a dry-style Chardonnay. The passionfruit and lemon-curd characters give it plenty of fruit flavour, while fresh acidity keeps the palate crisp rather than sweet.

How light-bodied and acidic is it?

It sits towards the lighter end of Chardonnay, helped by its modest 11.5% alcohol. Acidity is bright and refreshing, with essentially no tannin to speak of in this conventionally made white wine.

How should I serve Temple Bruer Preservative Free Chardonnay?

Serve at around 8–10°C in a standard white-wine glass. Avoid serving it ice-cold; a few minutes out of the fridge allows the lemon curd and passionfruit aromas to become more expressive.

Does this wine need decanting?

No. Pour it straight from the bottle and let it open naturally in the glass for a few minutes; its charm lies in its fresh, youthful fruit rather than aeration or development.

Does this Chardonnay contain preservatives or sulphites?

No sulphur dioxide is added during Temple Bruer’s preservative-free winemaking, making this a No Added Preservative wine. Small amounts of sulphites can occur naturally during fermentation, although Temple Bruer states its preservative-free bottled wines are independently tested for no detectable SO₂.

Is Temple Bruer Preservative Free Chardonnay organic and vegan friendly?

Yes. It is certified organic and vegan friendly, as well as preservative free. Temple Bruer has been working with organic and sustainable viticulture for decades.

What food pairs best with this Chardonnay?

Keep the food fresh rather than overly rich: grilled fish with lemon, roast chicken with herbs, zucchini pasta and pumpkin or feta salads all work beautifully. Its bright acidity also makes it useful with vegetarian dishes dressed with citrus, herbs or olive oil.

Can I cellar it and how long will it last once opened?

This is a youthful preservative-free style, so drink it now rather than putting it away for extended ageing. Once opened, reseal it, refrigerate immediately and ideally enjoy it within one to two days.

Who will love this wine and what is it similar to?

It will particularly suit anyone who likes fresh, citrus-led Chardonnay but finds traditional buttery or heavily oaked versions too rich. If crisp Pinot Grigio appeals but you want a little more Chardonnay fruit and texture, this sits in a very approachable middle ground.

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