On the nose: White peach, grapefruit, almond, a little sulphur.
Lemon pith, hint of smoke, notes of grapefruit. All the usual suspects you would expect to find in a good quality bottle of Chardonnay from the Yarra Valley.
In the mouth: The first thing that struck me was the floral citrus acid that flowed effortlessly across the palate, with a slight hint of ginger spice in the tannins. This, combined with the minerality, gives a clean, crisp finish to this round mouthful of wine. Leaving an almost old-world superb white stone impression in the mouth that lingers long after the last glass.
I believe this wine will age gracefully in the cellar and continue to improve over the next 5 to 8 years.
There was only one dining option open to me on the day. That was fresh scallops, straight off the boat that morning, into the pan.
Boy, was I in for a treat. The hint of brine in the sweet scollops cooked in butter was the perfect foil to this outstanding wine; sometimes, the simple things make your day.
Michael Lillis
