There’s been a lot of praise for these 2011 McHenry Hohnen Chardonnays so I thought I’d give one a test drive. The Burnside vineyard, planted in the early 1980s, was the only one I could get my hands on. Pretty darn impressive for the price. It falls into a category I refer to as “comfort Chardonnays” – plenty of primary fruit, reassuring oak, a mouthfeel that reminds you of that favourite lounge that you sink into on Saturday nights to watch DVDs alone…but enough about me.
Smoke, nectarine, pineapple and ripe pear. Toasted white bread, a good hit of woodspice. Nothing profound or challenging but all very balanced and sunny. Slightly buttery with an almond and oatmeal mid-palate. Has flesh without wobble, intensity and endurance. Somehow puts me in mind of a high-class escort, but much less expensive. 93
Region: Margaret River
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $37
Tasted: July 2013