The Auswine Forum

She: It's a Chardonnay, new world.
Me: You're right! From Where?
She: Canada?
Me: Nope.
She: Hmm, Australia, Hunter Valley.
Me, surprised if not shocked: Yes! What vintage?
She: 2002?
Me: 2003.

2003 Peter Howland 'Maxwell Vineyard' Chardonnay, Hunter Valley (14.5%)
She guessed Hunter! Where did that come from? I don't think I would have been able to do that. Perhaps it had something to do with the 1995 Tyrrell's Vat 47 I served on her birthday earlier this year. Who knows. Kudos.

This one shows its age with a yellow gold colour. The nose has a perfume that is rich and buttery, laden with ripe melon and cashew nuts. It is ripe and open for business. There is an elegance to the wine, the palate less rich or broad as the bouquet, but beguiling with the peach and melon fruit, dry nuttiness, and just the right amount of balance between acidity and creaminess. A very, very nice wine and very much a point as I don't think it has the acidity to go much further. Yum, yum, and a nice match with grilled turkey wings, sauteed tomato steaks and sauteed snap peas.

The back label says ""This wine will age beautifully". They were right.

Note that the cork has Peter Howland on the side and, this is unusual, an impression of "ph" on the end of the cork. This is highly unusual don't you think.

Cheers .......................... Mahmoud.

14.5%
I don't drink much chardonnay, but when I do, it isn't that big!

Agreed, 14.5% is not usually my cup of tea when it comes to white wines. However this one was in no way over the top or hot. I think it was just a ripe vintage and they used a lot of oak to compensate. I say this knowing full well that I am not a wine maker. Anyway, whatever they did it worked. This was my last bottle.

"I'm afraid I have to take your first answer"

Mightily impressive, and especially with Chardonnay being planted the world over.

FWIW apart from tasting them at cellar door / small winemakers' centre, I don't think I've ever drunk a Hunter Chardonnay. I've not even had a lot of Shiraz and Semillon from there, but that's through availability - when available they are always a consideration.

Is that the same Hunter vineyard from which Brokenwood make both a chardonnay and a semillon?

Graeme, I think you're right. I had no idea where in the Hunter the vineyard is but i took a quick look and it seems that Brokenwood may now own the vineyard or has chosen to buy fruit from there. Their notes on 2019 Maxwell Chardonnay states:

"The Maxwell Vineyard was planted in the early 70s and has supplied great Semillon to Brokenwood for a number of years. We get many enquiries about our Graveyard Vineyard Chardonnay, last made in 2004, so we thought it time to return to a Hunter Chardonnay."

It is clear though that at one point Peter Howland bought fruit from there. I don't think he is making wines under his name anymore. His reds were also made from single vineyards, some transported across from Western Australia. Parsons and Lone Pine come to mind.

Cheers ............................ Mahmoud.