If you’re a fan of the butterscotch Chardonnays from the days of yore, then this might be for you. Personally, I find this as attractive as sucking on a Butter Menthol. Reminds me of having a sore throat.
You’re immediately assaulted by malolactic butterscotch characters the moment you put the glass to your nose. It’s almost hard to think of anything else afterwards…but there are creamy cashew oak notes, peach, grapefruit and orange citrus. Buttery in the mouth too, although what appears to be early picking does provide some shape. Look, to be honest, I’m looking forward to the extinction event for this style of Chardonnay. I’d even hoped it had already taken place. No price supplied. 84 Average
Region: Orange
Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure Screwcap
Price: ?
Tasted: September 2012
Interesting. I saw that richness as more of a yeast character than anything else and thought it to be much more acid driven through the back end.
Polarising wine indeed.
It’s certainly possible. I just picked it as malo straight away. Was how it felt in the mouth too. Certainly had acidity, I tried to get at that with reference to shape and ‘early picking’/12.5% ABV – perhaps I could have phrased it better. Really didn’t like the wine though. Also got unpleasant bitterness on the finish. Found it mawkish and hard work. But as we’ve spoken about, disagreement need not be a negative. It helps fill out the picture and the discourse probably gives us a better idea of ‘quality’ than one singular review.
I like disagreement without venom. A noble intellectual pursuit indeed that can solve many a problem. I also really like honest, negative reviews – they colour the wine reviewing landscape for mine.