By Christine Salins.
I’m not sure why anyone would want to belong to the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) club. Some of the finest wines in the world are Chardonnay, appreciated for their expressiveness, their versatility, and their elegance.
Winemakers love Chardonnay because it can express varietal and regional characters across a range of soils and climates. And consumers should love it too, not just because it tastes so good but because there are so many Chardonnay styles you’ll have no trouble finding one to suit your palate or to match with almost any flavour or cuisine.
Before getting into the half dozen Chardonnays reviewed below, we should make special mention of a remarkable new Chardonnay from Penfolds. Penfolds V was launched at what the company describes as an “intimate gathering” at the Hôtel de Crillon Paris in February. It carries a price tag of $875 – gulp! Only 2,220 bottles are available worldwide.
Penfolds’ flagship white, Yattarna, is sometimes referred to as ‘White Grange’, and Penfolds V is a blend of five top Yattarna vintages: 2021, 2016, 2014, 2012, 2011. It is the company’s first multi-vintage Chardonnay.
Although I was at the launch of Yattarna in 1995 (and was blown away by it), my invitation to Paris must have gone astray so I can’t tell you what Penfolds V tastes like. Let us know if you’ve been lucky enough to snare a bottle.
In the meantime, here’s a selection of Chardonnay to suit different budgets.
Rewild 2021 Chardonnay, $10: Unpretentious, easy-drinking and good value for the price. Produced by Duxtons Vineyard in the Murray Darling region, a producer with a strong focus on sustainability and numerous initiatives in place for reducing its environmental footprint. Medium-bodied with peach and apricot flavours, and a nice gentle creaminess.
Hill-Smith Estate 2021 Eden Valley Chardonnay, $24: There’s a lot to like about this aromatic Chardonnay from one of Australia’s great winemaking families. It is elegant and restrained with a little nutty/white nougat creaminess, appealing quince, white peach and lemon curd flavours, and subtle oak. We enjoyed it with pan-fried fish with baba ganoush and grilled capsicum salad — a wonderful match.
Helen’s Hill 2019 Breachley Block Chardonnay, $27: I fell in love with this Yarra Valley wine when I tasted it at the home of friends in Queensland late last year. It is medium-bodied with subtle French oak but is by no means shy. It has a beautiful depth of character from its 100% wild yeast ferment and some malolactic fermentation. Rich and creamy with stonefruit, lemon and cashew notes, balanced with crisp acidity for a long, harmonious finish.
Scarborough Wine Co. 2020 ‘The Obsessive’ Chardonnay, $45: This Hunter Valley producer built its reputation on Chardonnay, its Yellow Label Chardonnay going from strength to strength since its first release in 1987. In 2006, the Scarborough family decided another Chardonnay was needed in the line-up and so The Obsessive was born, the name a nod to Ian Scarborough who winemaker son Jerome describes as being “obsessed with perfection”. The fruit for this cellar door exclusive is sourced from Scarborough’s Gillards Road vineyard which has a terra rossa that produces a style of Chardonnay that is fuller and richer than many Aussie Chardonnays. I first tasted it at Boronia Kitchen in Sydney during the launch of another Scarborough Chardonnay, the even more prestigious Keepers of the Flame, which featured in this column back in October. The Obsessive was served with Hiramasa kingfish that had been smoked in old wine barrels, a superb match. With hints of cloves and nutmeg on the nose, it has apple, lemon/lime, vanilla, almond and brioche notes. It drinks beautifully now but has cellaring potential if you can bear putting some away. Scarborough offers The Obsessive as a museum release at the cellar door so that its ageing ability can be appreciated.
Nielson 2019 Chardonnay, $50: This opulent Californian Chardonnay hails from Santa Barbara County, a region I enjoyed exploring some years ago, although I’d never tasted this wine until a media event late last year at Sydney’s NOLA Smokehouse and Bar. What an enjoyable discovery with its pineapple and orange blossom aromas, and its lush palate of apple, lychee, honey, almond, citrus and almost tropical notes. Quite creamy and buttery with a little minerality and a refreshing, crisp finish.
Heggies Vineyard 2021 Reserve Chardonnay, $52: Trust me, this is smart. Very smart. From Eden Valley, a cooler sub-region of the Barossa Valley, it is plush with peach, citrus, fig and hazelnut flavours, along with hints of spice, shortbread and brioche. Fine creamy texture, beautifully balanced oak, a touch of minerality, and an impressive long finish. The winemaker recommends enjoying it with pan-seared scallops with pea puree and crispy pancetta. Now that’s making me hungry.
