Download Notes
Chardonnay is interesting in that it grows well in many different environments and vintners can do many things with it to create various different styles of wine. Depending on the ripeness of the grapes they can choose to create a more fruit-forward style of wine, use oak to impart some structure, malolactic fermentation to develop flavour or lees stirring to enhance texture.
The Stats
Appearance
- Clarity: Clear
- Intensity: Medium
- Colour: Lemon with gold highlights
Nose
- Condition: Clean
- Intensity: Medium+
- Development: Developing
Palate
- Sweetness: Dry
- Acidity: Medium+
Tannin: N/A- Alcohol: Medium
- Body: Medium+
- Flavor Intensity: Medium+
- Finish: Medium
Conclusions
- Quality: Very Good
- Readiness/Cellaring: Can drink now, has potential for ageing
- Identity: Australia / Geelong / Chardonnay
- Price: Mid-priced (~$30)
Notes
- Long, fast tears
- ~$30
- Aromas of oak, stonefruit, pencil shavings, nectarine
- Flavours of lemon curd, oak, lemon pithe, unripe peach, nectarine
- Slightly oily texture, balanced with acid
- Try with wood-fired pizza (?)
Elaboration
This is one of those wines that has used everything in its arsenal to create a more harmonious wine experience. The oak was evident through the spiced aromas, but was balanced with the fruit of the wine. On the palate it was almost oily in texture, but not cloying or flabby thanks to the cleansing acid. Refreshing and zesty when chilled, it became progressively more luscious and juicy as it warmed in the glass.
In the interests of full disclosure, I should mention that Chardonnay is not my most preferred varietal – early on in my wine education I encountered a bad run of some extremely oaked and imbalanced representations. Only now am I beginning to overcome that trauma by discovering these more modern examples.
Which brings me to my next point – as a professional and an aficionado one must be able to judge a wine objectively and without bias. Though I may not be enamoured with this varietal, after a thorough tasting and detailed observation I can only conclude that this is a very well made Chardonnay. As you can see in my notes, I have marked the quality of this wine as “Very Good”, whereas I may have been less generous if I allowed my prejudices to take over.
There will be times where you may come across someone who insists on rejecting certain varietals, shutting out any possibilities of new experiences and further enlightenment. Do not be that person. By all means feel free to try and persuade them to change their point of view, but be prepared to retreat gracefully.
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