The Auswine Forum

Getting on so opened for special occasion. NOT a white drinker.

This is a red wine in white clothing. Rich, every nice fruit (peach, pear etc) I can imagine. Fabulous length and basically a revelation for me. Never had a chardonnay 1/10 as good!

Thanks guys - what a treat!

David.

G'day davidmore

Given that you were drinking a 1999, I understand the 'white wine for red drinkers' comment. Ihave a strong recollection of big Vat 47s and Rosemount Roxburgh from the early - mid 1990s that were too big by current standards - over oaked, over ripe and designed to be as big as they could be. Interesting wines, but certainly not subtle. Fortunately, they have toned down the styles somewhat, and we can discern that there might be some very good fruit underneath the excess

Having said that, we now live in a contradictory age - where chardonnay needs to let the fruit 'shine through', while throwing an arsenal of winemaker workings over the top - barrel fermentation, barrel maturation with battonage (lees stirring) and all done of course in high quality French oak (darling, SO much tighter than the previously used and coconutty American oak), wild ferments and minimal filtration. Having said that, I am an avid fan of the 'workings' - if they support quality fruit in the first place.

In reality, the best chardonnays have always had the balance between fruit power and fine oak. No other white variety works as well with oak, and I am pleased to see that the industry in Australia is getting better and more refined with these elements.

Cheers

Allan

Vat 47 was never a big excessive wine anything like Roxburgh. The 99 and 98 Vat 47 were bigger styles (by Vat 47 standards) but they are still kicking along nicely - unlike the more obese examples from that period.
GW

Thanks Waiter's Friend.

I posted this note before sharing with a group of friends. They were all amazed and delighted with the wine. I reckon even Red Bigot and TORB could warm to this.

As the night passed the fruit intensity increased and some lovely nutty notes (cashew, almond etc) emerged. Could almost have me buy more!

I would note I did not find this over the top at all - but that could be because I was far from my favourite red wine world!

David.

davidmore wrote:
I posted this note before sharing with a group of friends. They were all amazed and delighted with the wine. I reckon even Red Bigot and TORB could warm to this.

Wouldn't bet on that.