TN: Sorrenberg Chardonnay (Beechworth) 2016

[Waiters Friend]

The Sorrenberg website says "Our Chardonnay is 100% barrel fermented in french oak with 25-30% of this being new oak. To add complexity to the wine all of it goes through natural yeast fermentation, as well all of it goes through complete malo-lactic fermentation. This wine received extended lees contact for ten months with weekly stirring. Then a further eight months barrel maturation. The longer time in barrel restricts this wines openness for a few months so be patient. Minimal handling and filtration ensures maximum flavour is retained."

They must have bottled it last week, then

Quite yellow in colour and looking very developed for a 2016 wine. A fascinating and complex nose with lots of ripe yellow peach, vanillan and cedary oak, some grain, honeydew melon, and some soft lemon (not quite pithy). The palate is also complex with a slightly grippy mouthfeel, good supporting acid, and is full flavoured and long.

We've had two bottles of this over 4 days, and my partner noted especially how the wine changes in the glass. She is a fan of vanilla in Chardonnay, and for her, the last mouthful of each glass is the best, as that is where the vanilla seems to concentrate. Me, I like every mouthful!

Cheers
Allan

[michel]

I agree with the colour comment quite deep for the age
Figs lemon & cream brûlée notes
I would like a tad more acid and less broad in mouthfeel
But how good is this!
Very encouraging

[Waiters Friend]

Michel - the website suggests 10 year cellaring potential, but given the colour and slightly lower acid, do you reckon that's feasible? I have no experience of earlier vintages, so cannot judge well.

[michel]

I personally wouldn't be keen to see it in 10 years

[Willard]

I like it now, there is complexity and richness in the wine now, I wouldn’t cellar.

[michel]

I like it now, there is complexity and richness in the wine now, I wouldn’t cellar.

What Willard said rocks

[via collins]

I'll jump in here as well.

What I am seeing, sniffing and tasting here are characteristics of an aged, well-cellared wine. It's almost a freak to me - 2017 is coming down the pike any day now, so look forward to comparing, but I also question what cellar age will add.

Going to be very hard to find out, but I will struggle, and put a couple away

[Waiters Friend]

I'll jump in here as well.

What I am seeing, sniffing and tasting here are characteristics of an aged, well-cellared wine. It's almost a freak to me - 2017 is coming down the pike any day now, so look forward to comparing, but I also question what cellar age will add.

Going to be very hard to find out, but I will struggle, and put a couple away

Totally concur viacollins. I have 6 en-route to WA and will see how long they last for. I may be able to hide a couple away, but suspect at least 4 will meet their demise in 2018

[Waiters Friend]

Despite my earlier claims that I would drink most of these by the end of 2018, I still have a couple. The bottle opened last night shows almost identical characteristics to the TNs from late 2017. It seems this wine started well showed some development from the start, and has been in suspended animation since then. No sign of needing to be drunk anytime soon. I still have a couple in reserve. Beautiful wine.

[Luke W]

Had a 2014 Sorrenberg Chardy on Saturday nite and agree with all your 2016 notes with the vanilla at the fore front. It shows no real aging and the bloke who opened it says he preferred them at 10 years. It's a pretty stunning chardy although a couple of glasses gives you butterscotch overload. Do you need the higher acid to help it live longer? Maybe you should keep one Allan for another few years and let us know.

[Mahmoud Ali]

The wine sounds lovely but the colour is alarming for a three year old wine. Despite how good it is drinking I'm not sure all is right with the provenance since the winery website foresees a ten year future and wineries tend to underestimate cellaring life, especially in Australia. I've not had Sorrenberg wine before but have had Giaconda which is from the same region. A few years ago a Giaconda 'Nantua' at about a dozen years age was nowhere near the colour of the Sorrenberg as described.

Mahmoud.