Chardonnay all white
Claudine Earley
I love drinking chardonnay in winter, especially when the wine has spent some time in oak. Contact with the wood adds texture and complexity, but sometimes those layers of flavours can come at the price of fruit purity. Winemakers love to play around with chardonnay. Here are some recent releases worth checking out: two from Marlborough and one from North Canterbury.
The latest addition to one of my favourite sav producers, River Farm Godfrey Road Chardonnay 2009 ($28), has undergone the full treatment — wild yeasts, oak, malo and lots of contact with the yeast lees gives it good body, while not overpowering the peach and butterscotch flavours. Best with food now, or cellar for a year or two.
Bouldevines Dog Point Road Chardonnay 2008 ($25) is also from Marlborough. Philip and Janey Walsh grow grapes on farmland which has been in the family for 75 years. I could sniff this wine all day, it smells so good: lemon, apricot, honey and butterscotch from ripe juice oak-matured and given full malo. Smooth enough to drink on its own, yet with enough acidity to go with food, creamy chicken fettucini especially.
From Waipara producer Pegasus Bay comes the nicely priced Main Divide Chardonnay 2008 ($20 at Regional). There are those who object to oaky wines. That Alsatian wine grower who suggested those who liked them should carry a stick around to poke in their drinks would never have fancied this wine. It smells like buttered popcorn and nectarine with added complexity from the wild ferment yeastiness. This wine plays tricks with your tastebuds. It’s dry yet has sweet, creamy citrus and stonefruit characters and a wicked candy floss burnt sugar feel on the tongue. Recommended.
Wine news: Montana has changed its name to Brancott Estate, so that American wine drinkers don’t confuse it with the state of the same name. Pernod Ricard, owner of the brand, has been named the first New Zealand based Official Sponsor of the Rugby World Cup 2011 and promises to promote Brancott to rugby fans. But will it be enough to convert rugby players to wine? I wonder…
Wine of the week: we found a bargain at the supermarket while shopping for the Sunday roast – Church Road Merlot Cab Sav 2008 ($15 at New World). Blueberries, plums and licorice root went perfectly with lamb and a game of Trivial Pursuit. Which country was home to Communism Peak?
The latest addition to one of my favourite sav producers, River Farm Godfrey Road Chardonnay 2009 ($28), has undergone the full treatment — wild yeasts, oak, malo and lots of contact with the yeast lees gives it good body, while not overpowering the peach and butterscotch flavours. Best with food now, or cellar for a year or two.
Bouldevines Dog Point Road Chardonnay 2008 ($25) is also from Marlborough. Philip and Janey Walsh grow grapes on farmland which has been in the family for 75 years. I could sniff this wine all day, it smells so good: lemon, apricot, honey and butterscotch from ripe juice oak-matured and given full malo. Smooth enough to drink on its own, yet with enough acidity to go with food, creamy chicken fettucini especially.
From Waipara producer Pegasus Bay comes the nicely priced Main Divide Chardonnay 2008 ($20 at Regional). There are those who object to oaky wines. That Alsatian wine grower who suggested those who liked them should carry a stick around to poke in their drinks would never have fancied this wine. It smells like buttered popcorn and nectarine with added complexity from the wild ferment yeastiness. This wine plays tricks with your tastebuds. It’s dry yet has sweet, creamy citrus and stonefruit characters and a wicked candy floss burnt sugar feel on the tongue. Recommended.
Wine news: Montana has changed its name to Brancott Estate, so that American wine drinkers don’t confuse it with the state of the same name. Pernod Ricard, owner of the brand, has been named the first New Zealand based Official Sponsor of the Rugby World Cup 2011 and promises to promote Brancott to rugby fans. But will it be enough to convert rugby players to wine? I wonder…
Wine of the week: we found a bargain at the supermarket while shopping for the Sunday roast – Church Road Merlot Cab Sav 2008 ($15 at New World). Blueberries, plums and licorice root went perfectly with lamb and a game of Trivial Pursuit. Which country was home to Communism Peak?
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