For those who don’t know Andrew Marks, or the wines of The Wanderer, they are one and the same. These are wines with a pulse – they tingle with energy and intent.
The Chardonnay is intense and angular, driven by razor-sharp acidity and cool, high-toned citrus. It’s beautifully linear, yet now carries something more: a layer of mid-palate flesh and texture that brings real allure. Where earlier vintages felt tightly wound and almost austere, the latest releases strike a more compelling balance – precision still at the core, but with a newfound generosity.
The same evolution is evident in the Pinots. Always defined by floral lift, red fruit tang and fine, grippy tannins, they now show greater depth and breadth.
The warmer 2025 vintage has brought more of everything – more aromatic complexity, deeper colour, greater intensity of flavour, and a supple, flowing structure. There’s flesh here now, not excess, but a welcome sense of completeness.
If 2024 hinted at a shift, 2025 confirms it. The Wanderer has moved toward a more expansive, quietly luxurious expression – wines that retain their signature tension and detail, but with softer palates, sweeter fruit, and a seamless sense of balance.
The winemaking remains intuitive and restrained. The Pinots see cold soaks, mostly destemmed fruit, and natural whole-berry ferments, worked gently with pump-overs and hand plunging. They’re then aged in oak (the top cuvée seeing around 30% new), resting on lees for 11 months without fining or filtration. The result is Pinot with perfume, structure, and serious texture.
The Chardonnay is whole-bunch pressed, left to settle overnight, then run to barrel with full solids for wild fermentation – a crucial step for both texture and integration. Aged on lees, without stirring, and finished with a light filtration, it walks the fine line between clarity and richness with precision.
The Wanderer represents something increasingly rare: genuine fine wine at an accessible price. Like producers such as Dappled and Rob Hall, these are wines that deliver site expression, craftsmanship, and ageing potential without the usual barriers to entry.
There’s also something deeper at play – a quiet commitment to an older Australian ideal. A belief that great wine should be within reach. That quality and integrity don’t have to come at the expense of accessibility. It’s a kind of egalitarianism that feels increasingly uncommon – and all the more worth seeking out.
