Yarra Valley & King Valley 12.5% Screwcap $15- Tasted 16-17/7/09
You can grab this regularly for $12, I was lazy. And it’s very nice.
The colour grabbed my attention. Almost skin contact Grigio Bronze with the slightest tinge of pink, as well as the more usual pale straw gold with a tinge of green. It looked very “purdy” as one might say if drinking it from a trailer in the southern parts of the USA. ( I do enjoy my hillbilly fetish, and if nothing works out in life, I may retire to a setting similar to that described above and work on my whittlin’ skills and play banjo)
It smells of cream, peaches and nectarines with a lick of oak. On the palate it is refreshing and clean. Peach, neactrine, pear and some lovely green apple. There is subtle spice, particularly on the finish, which is dry and crisp. The complexity comes from the interplay of a gently creamy mid palate and some well judged acidity and minerality. There is even the most faint suggestion of grilled nuts.
It’s a really good chardonnay, especially at $12.
88-89
Hello Jeremy Wine Punk!
Chris Plummer from Australian Wine Journal here.
I've recently gotten into this internet thing and have only just stumbled across your site- looks good!
Best of all I seem to of stumbled across a tasty, cheap Victorian chardonnay in the way of De Bortoli's 2008 Windy Peak to search out – cheers! I loved their 2008 Pinot Noir in the same range for around $8 at release too.
Feel free to come check my site out – it's relatively new and is still a work in progress at this stage – it's at
http://www.australianwinejournal.blogspot.com
Cheers,
Chris Plummer
Thanks Chris
I've actually visited your site a couple of times, but have been a bit too busy setting up this "blog beast" to explore it properly. Will do so in the near future.
The 08 WP Pinot Noir is indeed very smart and drinking better now than on release. Whilst everyone's tastes are different, I reckon this Chards is worth having a go, especially considering price.
If you get a chance, have a go & write it up! Always love a different perspective.
Cheers
j
To be honest Jeremy I was at Man Durphy's last night looking for it. Sadly, plenty of dusty 05's a few 06's and 07's, but no 08's! Maybe if it was made by Penfolds, Hardys or Jacob's Creek it'd be better represented in SA.
I'll just keep searching I guess….
It's absolutely fascinating to hear what's sitting on the shelves in different States Chris. Parochialism does seem to be well and truly alive amongst consumers and perhaps retailers? Hell, I'm guilty of it at times.
It seems to be less of a problem at the Independents, but I'm not so sure they are always interested in a $12 Chards. Maybe, maybe not, but I reckon it's fair enough for them as they have to battle it out with the big chains' mass markdowns (which I avail myself, even whilst feeling a little guilty).
Oh well, I hope you managed to grab something that wet your whistle at Dans (I love "Man Durphys"- I might have to use that name if you don't mind!). Hopefully you'll find an 08 WP soon. I reckon it's best drunk for freshness personally.
cheers
j