Chardonnay has had a long and strange history in Australia. Cuttings were brought in by James Busby in 1832 and given its massive popularity these days you might imagine we’ve been slurping Chardy since then but the reality is that it wasn’t until the 1970s that Chardonnay was bottled as a single varietal and even then the labelling was as about as a transparent as a politician 6 months out from an election....

What a decade the 90s was! A quick poll in the office had my colleagues recalling happy pants, grunge, MC Hammer, 90210, mobile phones, the twilight of the Hawke/Keating era, Monica Lewinsky and of course... Chardonnay....

Don't let the prawn on the barbie cliche spook you. This is as contempo as you care, but why would you? Just enjoy....

One of the world's great sharing meals, Paella. Plop the pan in the middle of the table and have at it....