I opened seven Australian Chardonnay's over the last few days. For me, this is a category that has gone ahead in leaps and bounds over the last half dozen years, with a trend towards more adventurous winemaking and restrained use of oak.
But if anything, a few of the wines tasted have gone almost too far in search of elegance and refinement. Lower alcohols and a citrus driven profile has been achieved, but at the expense of flavour development and interest. Texturally too, a couple were a touch mean, with a pitched acid attack that hinted of under-ripeness. A work in progress, in some cases, but fascinating to observe nonetheless. There was, however, one stand out wine,
Shaw and Smith M3 Chardonnay 2008 $35
A beguiling wine of complexity and subtlety. A fine balance between winemaking intervention and fruit expression has been struck- faintly creamy /oatmeal/ white peach aromatics, with delicate citrus and white peach flavours buttressed by the textural influence of high quality oak and a dollop of malo. Low in alcohol (13%) but high in flavour, interest and enjoyment. 94 points, drink 2010+
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