Wine reviewer Mark Henderson enjoys some chardonnays.
Mr Mac, Sarge and I had an interesting time tasting these chardonnays as they changed and evolved considerably over the course of the tasting.
We normally taste them blind/masked and then re-taste them blind before re-tasting them once unveiled, before sometimes spot tasting some of them again.
Our preferences rose and fell as the wines opened up with aeration: in one case, enormously so, as the wine with the lowest rating on the first pass opened up to secure one of the top marks on the day.
Such are the pleasures, and mysteries, of wine.
Price: $35-$37
Rating: Excellent to outstanding
This opens to powerful elements of oatmeal, grilled nuts and peach. Very appealing and classically chardonnay. The palate is fine and elegant with citrus, white peach, toasty oak hints; the finish adding grapefruit. This fills out with aeration, the flavour intensity builds, gaining exquisite balance. A complete wine.
Price: $25
Rating: Very good
Melon and nectarine with no noticeable oak. A fresh, crisp style with lemony citrus, spice and fruit sweetness, moving to nectarine and then mandarin. Medium-bodied, rather attractive and moreish and nothing out of place here, with a whisper of Sour Jube giving zest to the finish. Not one for oak lovers.
Price: $19
Rating: Very good
Fruit Jubes and tinned fruit salad with citrus and a light touch of oak. The palate is nutty and mealy with dry straw and fruit sweetness, which hints at pineapple. The wine develops a yeasty/bubblegum note, then opens up and fleshes out. While youthful, the acids are soft and this offers excellent value for money.
Price: $32
Rating: Excellent
Spices, subtle oak nuances, oatmeal and soap/talc. Rich and creamy on entry with cashew nuts, lemon and oatmeal. This seems a little young and disjointed at first, but kicks into another gear with aeration and becomes absolutely lovely with a long lemon-tinged finish. Give this some air and watch it shine.
Price: $25-28
Rating: Very good
Subtle nose; quite vinous, hinting at tropical fruit and toast: with time lime oil and perfume. Lifted in the mouth with white peach and stonefruit. Clean, fresh, bracing and zingy with a long crisp finish and nice energy here. A tangy sweet and sour element comes with time. This would be great with food.
Price: $50
Rating: Excellent
Opens to burnt match and charry hints with peach and oatmeal popping up. Rich and fat on entry with a lovely silky mouthfeel, completely filling your palate. Power yet finesse here, nicely balanced acidity, some tannins giving structure and a fresh, citrusy lift on the long finish. A serious wine that will repay time in the cellar.
