The Adelaide Review's hottest 100 wines is out and makes for much more interesting reading than Halliday's 100, which seems to be the same wines every year. The winner of top wine for the year was this chardonnay effort from Yalumba. I thought I'd better investigate...
It's a tricky wine to describe, that's for sure. The nose is pretty easy - peach, citrus and a hint of a cream/cashew nut character. The palate has me grasping for words though. Spicy is the first word that comes to mind. There's a sort of pear/apple character on the initial attack, but it's quickly overwhelmed by an intense, mouth-puckering spicy character. This savoury spiciness persists through the finish, which is a trifle hard for my liking. I prefer my chardonnays to have a little delicacy and finesse; this wine more puts me in mind of a Roussanne or something like that. To be a fan of this wine you have to be OK with quite aggressive chardonnays; I like a bit of matchstick and funk in my chards, but this is well beyond that.
It's a good wine no doubt, but not really my style. I won't be rushing out to buy more and this wouldn't even crack my top ten wines of the year.
TN: 2008 Yalumba FDW[7c] Chardonnay
Re: TN: 2008 Yalumba FDW[7c] Chardonnay
ChrisV wrote:The Adelaide Review's hottest 100 wines is out and makes for much more interesting reading than Halliday's 100, which seems to be the same wines every year. The winner of top wine for the year was this chardonnay effort from Yalumba. I thought I'd better investigate...
It's a tricky wine to describe, that's for sure. The nose is pretty easy - peach, citrus and a hint of a cream/cashew nut character. The palate has me grasping for words though. Spicy is the first word that comes to mind. There's a sort of pear/apple character on the initial attack, but it's quickly overwhelmed by an intense, mouth-puckering spicy character. This savoury spiciness persists through the finish, which is a trifle hard for my liking. I prefer my chardonnays to have a little delicacy and finesse; this wine more puts me in mind of a Roussanne or something like that. To be a fan of this wine you have to be OK with quite aggressive chardonnays; I like a bit of matchstick and funk in my chards, but this is well beyond that.
It's a good wine no doubt, but not really my style. I won't be rushing out to buy more and this wouldn't even crack my top ten wines of the year.
Sounds like an interesting chardy Chris. D'y reckon the spiciness was from oak? French/eastern european perhaps? I particularly like Tahbilk Roussanne 08 but it's seen no oak AFAIK, think it has a touch of elegance on the finish - and it's half the price.
Cheers
daz
Re: TN: 2008 Yalumba FDW[7c] Chardonnay
Haven't seen the 08, but the 07 was wicked.
Yalumba are on fire at the moment, pulling in gongs all acoss the board.
(Puts some of the other similar size companies to absolute shame).
The 07 was Burgundy, fine peach, cashew, sensational burnt match oak, pale straw colour and limey almost Riesling like aromatics.Fine lean acidity to balance a long tight mineral palate. (I thought it was Chablis in a blind tasting).
Ther amazing thing was it was so cheap. $24 odd????
This is Yalumbas top white....OK so Fine Dry White (Item 7...Chardonnay) is an absolutely crappy name, but somehow we got used to Penfolds naming their top reds after planes.
I'll dig out the 08 for a taste, epecially if its done well Halliday etc.
Perhaps the fine people at auswine could PM a price on a 6 pack or a doz?
Pretty sure the 07 came as a 6.
Cheers
Smithy
Yalumba are on fire at the moment, pulling in gongs all acoss the board.
(Puts some of the other similar size companies to absolute shame).
The 07 was Burgundy, fine peach, cashew, sensational burnt match oak, pale straw colour and limey almost Riesling like aromatics.Fine lean acidity to balance a long tight mineral palate. (I thought it was Chablis in a blind tasting).
Ther amazing thing was it was so cheap. $24 odd????
This is Yalumbas top white....OK so Fine Dry White (Item 7...Chardonnay) is an absolutely crappy name, but somehow we got used to Penfolds naming their top reds after planes.
I'll dig out the 08 for a taste, epecially if its done well Halliday etc.
Perhaps the fine people at auswine could PM a price on a 6 pack or a doz?
Pretty sure the 07 came as a 6.
Cheers
Smithy
home of the mega-red
Re: TN: 2008 Yalumba FDW[7c] Chardonnay
Update a day later:
What a difference a day makes. I like this much more tonight. The nose hasn't changed, the spice is still there, but the finish has smoothed right out. Some of that cream/cashew character on the nose has made an appearance on the palate, too. With the harsh finish gone, what remains is a savoury and complex chardonnay of considerable balance. I'm not sure I'd call it charming - it would need a bit more primary-fruit friendliness - but it is an interesting wine.
Still not sure I want to back up the truck for more of it, but I can certainly see how some would. If you like the savoury, dry style with leesy complexity, this could be right up your alley.
What a difference a day makes. I like this much more tonight. The nose hasn't changed, the spice is still there, but the finish has smoothed right out. Some of that cream/cashew character on the nose has made an appearance on the palate, too. With the harsh finish gone, what remains is a savoury and complex chardonnay of considerable balance. I'm not sure I'd call it charming - it would need a bit more primary-fruit friendliness - but it is an interesting wine.
Still not sure I want to back up the truck for more of it, but I can certainly see how some would. If you like the savoury, dry style with leesy complexity, this could be right up your alley.
Re: TN: 2008 Yalumba FDW[7c] Chardonnay
rooview wrote: ... best to ignore me all the time in fact.
As good as done.
Cheers,
David
David