95 points, Gold Medal, International Cool Climate Wine Show
Judges Comments "Very elegant, tight, long, complex. Citrus, creamy and beautifully crafted."
94 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
"It all goes through malo and it sees 35% new oak. If you grow and pick the grapes right then malo is the way to go, as again evidenced here.
What a stunner. Complete chardonnay. Controlled, taut and contained but with richness and spark. Stonefruits, bran, flint, ginger and toast. A whisper of honeysuckle/vanilla. A class."
94 points, James Halliday
"Hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed, wild-fermented in French oak (30% new), matured for 11 months. Nice work - it all comes together very well."
92 points, James Suckling
"This has rich yet very fresh aromas of chamomile flowers, white peaches and grilled lemons on the nose with a chalky edge. The palate has a smooth, ripe feel with ample, nougat and peach flavors. Drink now. Screw cap."
Chardonnay styles have been a major talking point of late amongst many in the wine industry. Should the leaner, citrus driven styles be rewarded over the rich, creamy fuller styles? In Australia over the last 20 years we have seen dramatic swings from one style to another with what seemed very little time spent in the middle. Fortunately we have seen a move back to the sensible centre, thank goodness! Perhaps our politicians could learn from this.
We always hope that our wines cut through stylistic swings and simply show true varietal and terroir characteristics. The wine in this bottle has richness, it retains delicacy and clarity of expression as well as weight and complexity.
Ray