1990 Balgownie Chardonnay-a real eye opener
Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 10:57 pm
Balgownie Chardonnay, Premier Cuvee 1990, Series One
Here was a wine that I bought many years ago. At the time I knew that Balgownie was a good producer and so a bottle went into the cellar with no particular cellaring time in mind. The years went by and it got overlooked. Occasionally I would spot it and it occured to me that it represented the oldest Chardonnay in my cellar. Now it became a matter of “wine educationâ€Â, a test, as it were, of how long a Chardonnay could be cellared.
Tonight the Balgownie prooved that a well made Australian Chardonnay can last 18 years.
Pale yellow gold in colour this wine looks young (not like the 1997 Eileen Hardy I had last week). The refined nose featured ripe melon, a hint of grapefruit and fine cashew nut oak. One could go on sniffing it without feeling the need to taste it. The palate was fresh but delicate, not much fruit but lovely citrusy elements mingled with the toasty but refined oak. With a nice lingering finish and plenty of acidity it went well with the baked salmon and onion couscous. One guest said it was one of the finest Australian Chardonnay she had tasted. Quite the kudos for the much maligned mature Chardonnay.
Perhaps the key to the wine’s longevity is what’s on the back label: “This wine is produced from hand pruned and harvested chardonnay grapes from the Coonawarra region of South Australia. Traditional Burgundian fermentation and oak maturation techniques have created a rich full flavoured style that can be enjoyed now or will repay cellar maturation.†Too bad there aren't many winemakers making this kind of Chardonnay.
One thing I just noticed as I was finishing this post was that the wine is only "11.0% alc/vol"---nobody at the table noticed. I wish I had a few more bottles to take around to the tastings. Nothing like shattering stereotypes.
Cheers...............Mahmoud.
Here was a wine that I bought many years ago. At the time I knew that Balgownie was a good producer and so a bottle went into the cellar with no particular cellaring time in mind. The years went by and it got overlooked. Occasionally I would spot it and it occured to me that it represented the oldest Chardonnay in my cellar. Now it became a matter of “wine educationâ€Â, a test, as it were, of how long a Chardonnay could be cellared.
Tonight the Balgownie prooved that a well made Australian Chardonnay can last 18 years.
Pale yellow gold in colour this wine looks young (not like the 1997 Eileen Hardy I had last week). The refined nose featured ripe melon, a hint of grapefruit and fine cashew nut oak. One could go on sniffing it without feeling the need to taste it. The palate was fresh but delicate, not much fruit but lovely citrusy elements mingled with the toasty but refined oak. With a nice lingering finish and plenty of acidity it went well with the baked salmon and onion couscous. One guest said it was one of the finest Australian Chardonnay she had tasted. Quite the kudos for the much maligned mature Chardonnay.
Perhaps the key to the wine’s longevity is what’s on the back label: “This wine is produced from hand pruned and harvested chardonnay grapes from the Coonawarra region of South Australia. Traditional Burgundian fermentation and oak maturation techniques have created a rich full flavoured style that can be enjoyed now or will repay cellar maturation.†Too bad there aren't many winemakers making this kind of Chardonnay.
One thing I just noticed as I was finishing this post was that the wine is only "11.0% alc/vol"---nobody at the table noticed. I wish I had a few more bottles to take around to the tastings. Nothing like shattering stereotypes.
Cheers...............Mahmoud.
