The Whitlands Chardonnay (previously labelled as Baxendale Chardonnay) comes from vines planted in 1995 at around 600 metres elevation on volcanic soils with rhyolite. This site, positioned just north of the Mansfield–Whitfield Road, benefits from a steady northerly aspect that encourages even ripening in a cool-climate setting.

The fruit was hand harvested and gently pressed into 500-litre French oak puncheons, around one-third of which were new. Fermentation took place naturally without temperature control, and the wine remained undisturbed on its lees for a year before being transferred to tank for an additional four months of maturation. This approach preserves brightness and energy while layering in complexity and texture.