The setting was quite simple here: twelve Chardonnays from Western Australia. Ten from the highly-regarded Margaret River region, two from the lesser-known Frankland River region.
Most of the Margaret River Chardonnays were very lovely, many of them coming across stylistically as more Burgundian rather - some with quite Chablis-like leanings, some come more Côte d’Or-ish with those Coche/PYCM-like nuances of smoky reduction - rather than heavier, modern and more oaky, ie. in the style many people still seem to associate all Australian Chardonnay with. Although that Ferngrove Chardonnay from Frankland was definitely made more in that vein, compared to the other wines we had.
The person who arranged the tasting wanted us to also rate the wines after we had tasted them. Everybody got three points that we could distribute freely to the wines however we wanted to, ie. one point for three different wines, three points to one very special wine or one point for one and two points for another wine.
Here is the final ranking of the wines, including the points the wines got (and my personal rating in parentheses):
- 1 - 2017 Cullen Wines Kevin John Chardonnay, 8 pts. (93)
- 2 - 2015 Fraser Gallop Wilyabrup Chardonnay Parterre, 6 pts. (94)
- 2 - 2016 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Prelude, 6 pts. (87)
- 2 - 2017 Twinwoods Margaret River Chardonnay, 6 pts. (92)
- 3 - 2019 Xanadu Margaret River Chardonnay, 5 pts. (89)
- 4 - 2016 Pierro Margaret River Chardonnay, 4 pts. (88)
- 5 - 2017 Domaine Naturaliste Chardonnay Floris, 1 pt. (77)
- 5 - 2019 Woodlands Wilyabrup Chardonnay, 1 pt. (91)
- 5 - 2018 Vasse Felix Filius Chardonnay, 1 pt. (84)
- 5 - 2018 Voyager Estate Chardonnay, 1 pt. (90)
- 6 - 2016 Alkoomi Black Label Chardonnay, 0 pts. (86)
- 6 - 2016 Ferngrove Diamond Chardonnay, 0 pts. (84)
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2019 Woodlands Chardonnay Wilyabrup - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (7.11.2022)
100% Chardonnay from the Wilyabrup valley. Mostly destemmed, although a small portion is vinified in whole bunches. Spontaneous fermentation in oak barrels. MLF is not promoted; some lots go through MLF spontaneously and some do not. Aged for 7 months in French oak barrels. 13% alcohol.
Pale-to-medium deep yellow-green color. The nose feels dry, slightly smoky and ever-so-slightly reductive with aromas of fresh pineapple, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of toast, light floral nuances, a hint of nashi pear and a flatulent touch of reduction. The wine is ripe, juicy and wonderfully balanced on the palate with a medium body and bright flavors of white peach, some spicy woody tones, a little bit of crunchy red apple, light toasty nuances, a hint of stony minerality and a balancing bitter touch of pithy pomelo. Bright, high acidity. The finish is lively, fresh and quite complex with its long, youthful aftertaste of zesty citrus fruits and crunchy red apple tones, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of spicy old wood, light nutty nuances, a hint of chalky bitterness and a touch smoky reduction.
A very young, crisp and surprisingly Burgundian effort where the combination of just properly ripe fruit, judicious use of oak and a faint touch of reductive smoke go beautifully hand in hand. Even though the wine 3½ years old, it is still super young and could really use some additional aging - although it is drinking pretty nicely already now. Very fine and harmonious stuff, loving it. In our Western Australia tasting of 12 Chardonnays the wine gained a total of 1 point, making it finish on the shared 5th place.
(91 points) -
2019 Xanadu Chardonnay Margaret River - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (7.11.2022)
100% Chardonnay from estate-owned Stevens Road and Boodjidup vineyards (70%) and purchased fruit from Wilyabrup (30%), all planted to the Gingin clone (known for its loose "pips and hens" clusters). The cool growing season resulted in high acid retention. Pressed in whole bunches, fermented spontaneously in French oak barrels (22% new). Aged for 9 months in the same oak barrels. Blended in November 2019. 13% alcohol, 2,1 g/l residual sugar, 8,3 g/l acidity, , 0,46 g/l VA, pH 3,08. Total SO2 134 mg/l, of which 40 mg/l free on the time of bottling.
Limpid pale green color. Fresh, somewhat restrained and a bit linear nose with aromas of fresh red apples, some crunchy greencurrant tones, a little bit of sweeter exotic fruit character and a hint of creamy oak. The wine feels youthful, clean and very zippy on the palate with a medium body and crisp, linear flavors of lemony citrus fruits and apple peel bitterness, some pink grapefruit tones, a little bit of crunchy green currants, a hint of steely minerality and a touch of leesy creaminess. The brisk acidity lends tremendous sense of focus and structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, lively and steely with flavors of lemony citrus fruits and sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light pithy notes of pomelo, a hint of crunchy greencurrant and a touch of creamy oak.
A crisp, somewhat linear and still super-youthful Chardonnay that shows superb, brisk acidity but otherwise comes across as a bit too young and straightforward right now. There's a lot to love here, but still the wine is a bit too limited and simple in its expression right now - I'd say that with enough time this wine could evolve into something interesting, but at the moment the wine is still too young to be appreciated fully. Although I like how the wine feels drier and less exotic with less oak influence than the 2016 I tasted earlier, I feel that this wine isn't at the same level of quality - at least yet. Perhaps with enough time things might turn around! In our Western Australia tasting of 12 Chardonnays the wine gained a total of 5 points, making it finish on the 3rd place.
(89 points) -
2018 Vasse Felix Chardonnay Filius - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (7.11.2022)
Following a cooler and somewhat rainy growing season, the fruit was harvested after a spell of warm, dry temperatures in early February 2018. Fermented spontaneously in French oak barrels, all batches underwent natural MLF. Aged for 8 months in French oak barrels (20,5% new, 79,5% used oak). Bottled in early 2019. 13% alcohol, 1,6 g/l residual sugar, 7,1 g/l acidity and pH 3,22.
Pale yellow-green color. The nose feels a bit understated with light aromas of ripe citrus fruits and sweet white peach, some fresh apple tones, a little bit of skunky reduction and a faint woody hint of oak spice. The wine is ripe, broad and clean on the palate with a moderately full body and dry flavors of lemony citrus fruits and steely minerality, some apple peel bitterness, a little bit of crunchy white currant, light mineral notes of wet rocks and a hint of spicy wood. Although the wine is pretty high in acidity, it feels the emphasis is still on the quite mineral and at times rather bitter notes and the overall feel is somewhat low-key and mild, lacking the intensity and fruit freshness high acidity usually brings. The finish is lively, fresh and quite long with flavors of sharp Granny Smith apple, some mineral notes of wet rocks, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light crunchy notes of white currants and a hint of chalky bitterness.
Although the wine is enjoyably clean, fresh and mineral in style, somehow the overall impression is rather understated and low-key, making it come across as a rather mild and anonymous effort among a dozen Margaret River Chardonnays. There's nothing wrong with this wine, it's somehow just very anonymous and uninspiring an effort amidst all the better and more interesting wines. I guess on its own this could be thoroughly enjoyable, but now the manages to leave only a rather lukewarm impression. Perhaps some additional aging might make it into something more interesting? In our Western Australia tasting of 12 Chardonnays the wine gained a total of 1 point, making it finish on the shared 5th place. Feels a bit expensive for the quality at 19,99€.
(84 points) -
2018 Voyager Estate Chardonnay - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (7.11.2022)
Made with estate-grown fruit. Aged for 10-11 months in French oak barriques (partly new). 13,5% alcohol, 3 g/l residual sugar and 6,5 g/l acidity.
Quite pale yellow-green color. Vibrant nose of ripe citrus fruits and white peach, some fresh pear tones, a little bit of woody oak spice, light mineral notes of wet rocks and a hint of creaminess. The wine feels ripe, broad and somewhat concentrated on the palate with a moderately full body and quite intense flavors of fresh red apples and ripe citrus fruits, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of steely minerality, light sweeter notes of toasty oak spice, a hint of fresh pear and a touch of creaminess. The mouthfeel is slightly oily and viscous, but the high acidity keeps the wine fresh and nicely structured. The finish is ripe, lovely and quite lengthy with a dry, brisk aftertaste of zesty citrus fruits and some spicy red apple, a little bit of stony minerality, light sweeter notes of white peach, oaky hints of toasty spices and creaminess and a touch of nuttiness.
A very nice, balanced and quite complex Margaret River Chardonnay where the oak influence shows quite a bit, yet doesn't feel too impactful. Compared to many other Margaret River Chardonnays in the same tasting, this wine packed a bit more concentration and substance, but also managed to provide enough firmness and backbone with its acidity and minerality to make the wine have a very harmonious overall feel. At the moment the wine feels maybe a bit more "new world" than Burgundian, but as the wine seems to be built for the long haul, it's quite likely things will change with further cellaring. Perhaps a bit on the pricey side at 27,47€, but not prohibitively so. In our Western Australia tasting of 12 Chardonnays the wine gained a total of 1 point, making it finish on the shared 5th place.
(90 points) -
2017 Twinwoods Chardonnay Margaret River - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (7.11.2022)
100% Chardonnay from around the town of Margaret River, harvested in mid-March 2017. Fermented in old, neutral oak barrels in which the wine is aged for 5 months after the fermentation. After 5 months of aging, the wine is racked off the lees, the barrels are blended together and then the wine is moved into new oak barrels for another 5 months of aging. 13% alcohol, 6,8 g/l acidity and pH 3,21.
Pale and quite youthful yellow-green color. Rich, spicy and even slightly toasty nose with complex aromas of woody oak and smoke, some spicy red apple, a little bit of citrus zest, light reductive notes of flint smoke, a hint of white peach, a herby touch of dank greenness and a whiff of salty liquorice powder. The wine is brisk and lively yet quite richly-textured on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of passion fruit and sweet white peach, some salty liquorice powder, a little bit of fresh pineapple, light steely mineral notes, a smoky hint of toasty character and a touch of savory wood spice. The racy acidity lends the wine great sense of energy and freshness without making it too lean or incisive. The finish is long, dry and lively with a slightly spicy aftertaste of ripe red apple, some savory wood notes, a little bit of salty liquorice powder, light pineapple tones, a hint of creaminess and a touch of toasty oak spice.
A fine, structured and complex effort that shows some oak influence, yet comes across more like a Burgundian Chardonnay from the toasty end of the spectrum instead of a rich, heavily oaked new world Chardonnay. Even if the wine is +5 years old, it is still very youthful and brisk in character, showing very little to no sense of development yet. With its great complexity of intermingling fruit and non-fruit flavors, intensity of taste, racy acidity and judicious use of oak, this shows great potential for future development, even if the wine is drinking really well right now. This was not only one of my favorites in out Western Australia Chardonnay tasting, but the wine also got a total of 6 points, making it finish on the shared 2nd place.
(92 points) -
2017 Domaine Naturaliste Chardonnay Floris - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (7.11.2022)
100% Chardonnay from vineyards in Wilyabrup, all planted to the Gingin clone (known for its loose "pips and hens" clusters). Fermented and aged for 10 months in French oak barrels (approx. 1/3 new). 13% alcohol.
Limpid, pale and almost colorless whitish-green color. Ridiculously Sauvignon Blanc-like nose with somewhat vegetal aromas of blackcurrant leaves and pink grapefruit, some gooseberry tones, a little bit of boxwood, light skunky notes of reduction, a hint of canned asparagus and a touch of passion fruit. The nose doesn't remind of Chardonnay one little bit. On the palate the wine feels light-to-medium-bodied, fresh and crunchy on the palate with flavors of passion fruit and tomato stalk, some gooseberry tones, a little bit of green asparagus, light greencurrant tones and a mineral hint of wet rocks. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine in balance. The finish is crisp, lively and quite linear with a moderately long, acid-driven aftertaste of passion fruit, some green asparagus tones, a little bit of fresh red apple, light flatulent notes of reduction and a hint of grapefruit.
I was baffled by this wine when I tasted it in our tasting of Western Australia Chardonnays. I honestly thought somebody had mistakenly put a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc in the tasting, but no - the label said Chardonnay. I honestly couldn't find anything even remotely Chardonnay-like in this wine. I reminded me of a light and understated New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or something in that vein. If I was expecting a Sauvignon Blanc, this would be a mediocre effort, but for a Chardonnay this is both confusing and quite lousy.
(77 points) -
2017 Cullen Wines Chardonnay Kevin John - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (7.11.2022)
Made with biodynamically farmed, hand-harvested fruit from the estate-owned Cullen vineyard in Wilyabrup, the fruit was harvested based on parcel ripeness, harvesting dates ranging from early February to early March. Whole bunch pressed, fermented spontaneously in in French oak barriques, egg-shaped concrete tanks and clay amphorae. After the spontaneous MLF, the wine was racked into French oak barriques and puncheons (30% new) and aged for 5 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Surprisingly pale, limpid whitish-green color. Restrained yet very nuanced nose with fine-tuned aromas of ripe white fruits, some sweeter tropical notes, a little bit of juicy Golden Delicious apple, light floral notes of white flowers, a toasty hint of smoke and a subtle touch of creaminess. The wine is firm, dry and somewhat concentrated on the palate with a medium body and focused flavors of fresh red apples and crunchy white fruits, some toasty notes, a little bit of smoke, light nutty wood nuances, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of saline minerality. The bright, high acidity lends great intensity and sense of structure to the wine. The finish is long, firm and quite acid-driven with a dry, layered aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and steely minerality, some sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of tangy salinity, light smoky nuances, a spicy hint of savory old oak and a touch of apple peel bitterness.
A very balanced, fine-tuned and impressive Margaret River Chardonnay made in a classical, more restrained and less in-your-face style. Beautiful sense of complexity and depth of flavor, precise fruit, impressive structure and judicious use of oak. While in a wonderful spot right now, I can see this wine continuing to evolve and improve for years more. This was not my WotN in out Western Australia Chardonnay tasting, but the wine also got a total of 8 points, making it finish on the 1st place. An excellent wine by all accounts.
(93 points) -
2016 Pierro Chardonnay Margaret River - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (7.11.2022)
100% Chardonnay sourced from five different vineyards in Wilyabrup, planted mainly (90%) to the Gingin clone and averaging 30 years old. The fruit is harvested in multiple tries, based on its degree of ripeness. Whole bunch pressed, fermented and aged for 12 months in French oak barriques. 13,5% alcohol.
Quite pale yellow-green color. The nose is still surprisingly primary with candied fermentation aromas of pear and gummi bear candies, some crunchy notes of greencurrants, light vegetal notes of herbal spices, light steely mineral notes, a hint of greengage and a touch of exotic fruit. The wine is ripe, youthful and very fruit-forward on the palate with a moderately full body and slightly primary flavors of juicy citrus fruits and fresh apples, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of greengage, light candied notes of pear drops and gummi bear, oaky hints of nuttiness and toasty spices and a mineral touch of wet rocks. The high acidity lends good sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is lively, fresh and quite long with a clean and rather fruity aftertaste of steely minerality, some sweet tropical fruits, a little bit of stony minerality, light zesty citrus notes, a candied hint of gummi bear and a nutty touch of chopped almonds.
A pleasant and balanced Margaret River Chardonnay that comes across as surprisingly primary and candied in character, considering the wine is already more than 6 years old. There's quite a bit of substance and intensity here, promising quite a bit of potential for future evolution, but at the moment the wine feels a bit too candied and fruit-driven for my taste, coming across as a crowdpleaser fruit bomb - despite its mineral overtones and good sense of zippy acidity. I honestly hope the wine would lose its exuberant, candied character with additional aging. The fruit intensity and sense of structure here was on par with some of the best wines we tasted in a tasting of a dozen Chardonnays, but the very estery, exuberant fruit character made the wine feel a bit banal in comparison with the more restrained, fine-tuned and complex bottlings. In our Western Australia tasting of 12 Chardonnays the wine gained a total of 4 points, making it finish on the 4th place.
(88 points) -
2016 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Prelude - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (7.11.2022)
100% Margaret River Chardonnay. The wine gets a brief period of skin contact following the crush. Barrel-fermented in French oak barrels (40% new), some lots spontaneously and some with selected yeasts. Aged for 9 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Pale and rather neutral whitish-green color. The nose feels youthful, quite restrained and slightly reduced with relatively Chablis-like aromas of sea breeze and crushed sea shells, some leesy tones, a little bit of spicy wood, light crunchy notes of fresh white peach and red apple, a hint of nutty oak and a flatulent touch of reduction. The wine is ripe, clean and slightly concentrated on the palate with a medium body and bright and mineral yet somewhat understated flavors of lemony citrus fruits and greengage, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of nutty wood, light oyster shell nuances, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of wet rocks. The wine is high in acidity and also packing quite a bit of dry extract, lending it a somewhat more hefty feel without making it come across as heavy in any way. The finish is dry, quite mineral and rather long with flavors of sharp Granny Smith apple and ripe lemony tones, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of tangy salinity, light nutty notes of wood, a hint of greengage and a slightly spicy touch of extracted bitterness.
A firm, mineral and serious Chardonnay that seems to pack quite a bit of concentration and tightly-coiled substance, but is quite restrained in overall character. Even with quite a bit of air, the wine felt rather reticent and somehow like it was holding back. It wasn't austere or lean in any way - there was enough fruit ripeness to keep the things in balance - but ultimately the wine felt like a regular entry-level Chablis; meaning it was a nice, fresh wine, but ultimately nothing memorable and lacking in depth and character. I felt this wine was in a slump now, but packs enough substance to turn into something much more interesting with additional bottle age. However, several others enjoyed the wine's restrained, mineral expression much more than I did and ultimately the wine gained gained a total of 6 points, making it finish on the shared 2nd place in our Western Australia tasting of 12 Chardonnays.
(87 points) -
2015 Fraser Gallop Chardonnay Parterre Wilyabrup - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (7.11.2022)
100% Chardonnay from vineyards in Wilyabrup, planted to the Gingin clone (known for its loose "pips and hens" clusters). Aged for 10 months in new and older French oak barriques and larger puncheons. Bottled in January 2016. 13% alcohol, 0,9 g/l residual sugar, 8,6 g/l acidity and pH 3,09.
Luminous and quite intense lime-green color. Aromatically a bit restrained but also wonderfully nuanced nose with layered aromas of honeydew melon, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of sweet Golden Delicious apple, light smoky flint notes, a woody hint of savory oak spice, a mineral touch of stone dust and a whiff of ripe apricot. The wine feels quite broad and somewhat concentrated on the palate, yet at the same so very brisk, firm and electric with the bracing acidity that lends tremendous intensity to the flavors. The wine is medium-bodied and still remarkably youthful with focused flavors of steely minerality, ripe grapefruit, some crunchy Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of sweeter honeydew melon, light oak notes of creaminess and nutty complexity, a hint of buttery richness and a touch of apple peel bitterness. The wine shows wonderful depth, complexity and substance, but is also very structured with its racy acidity. The finish is crisp, lively and very lengthy with an intense, layered aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and crunchy Granny Smith apple, some nutty notes of slivered almond, light bitter nuances of pithy pomelo, light creamy tones, a hint of saline minerality and a flinty touch of smoke.
This wine was fantastic when I tasted it some three years ago for the first time and it had evolved into something even better with age. In its youth the wine still showed somewhat pronounced oak tones, but now the wine is in a very harmonious shape: the fruit department still feels very youthful and lively, but the oak influence has integrated very nicely with the fruit, lending fine nuances of creaminess and nutty complexity without overwhelming anything. What's the most remarkable thing here, however, is the exceptional acidity, which makes the wine feel so nervy, electric and intensely focused, not unlike a cooler-vintage 1er Cru or Grand Cru Chablis. An outstanding Australian Chardonnay. This was my favorite wine of this tasting and overall the wine gained gained a total of 6 points, making it finish on the shared 2nd place in our Western Australia tasting of 12 Chardonnays. An excellent purchase at 27,30€.
(94 points) -
2016 Ferngrove Chardonnay Diamond - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Frankland River (7.11.2022)
100% Chardonnay from vineyards in Frankland River. Fermented and aged for 9 months in 300-to-500-liter oak casks. 13% alcohol.
Pale yellow-green color. Somewhat evolved and slightly tropical nose with aromas of fresh red apples, some vegetal notes of birch leaves, light passion fruit tones, a hint of asparagus, a touch of rowanberry and a touch of caramel oak. The wine is lively, quite firm and pretty balanced on the palate with a medium body and flavors of juicy Golden Delicious apple and passion fruit, some green and slightly vegetal notes of birch leaves and asparagus stalk, a little bit of candied gummi bear character, light stony mineral notes, oaky hints of creaminess and caramel and a touch of nectarine. The quite high acidity gives the wine nice sense of structure. The finish is lively, quite acid-driven and somewhat oaky with flavors of ripe citrus fruits, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of gummi bear, light creamy oak tones, a hint of canned peach and a touch of asparagus.
This wine seemed to have benefited from age, as I've thought this Diamond Chardonnay has always been too oaky in its youth. It was still a bit too oaky for my preference, but showing quite good sense of balance nevertheless. However, the wine seemed to be suffering from some reduction - and I'm not talking about those nicely smoky notes of struck flint, but instead somewhat green and slightly vegetal off notes that lend a somewhat asparagus feel to the wine. I imagine those might come from a screwcap closure with too little (or none) oxygen permeability, resulting in buildup of dimethyl sulfide or some other reductive compound. Although the wine style seems to be better with age - this wasn't as heavy and oaky as the Diamonds I've had before - I still wasn't particularly thrilled. Not particularly good value at 16,99€.
(84 points) -
2016 Alkoomi Chardonnay Black Label - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Frankland River (7.11.2022)
100% Chardonnay from vineyards in Frankland River. Fermented and aged on the lees for 8 months in French oak casks. 13% alcohol.
Rather pale and limpid yellow-green color. Somewhat restrained and slightly reductive nose of spicy red apple, some primary notes of ripe pear, light smoky notes of toasty oak, a little bit of peachy fruit and a flatulent hint of reduction. The wine is lively, fresh and somewhat tangy on the palate with a medium body and dry yet juicy flavors of lemony citrus fruits and sharp Granny Smith apple tones, some sour apple candy flavors, a little bit of stony minerality, light flatulent notes of reduction, a hint of grapefruity bitterness and a leesy touch of creaminess. The racy acidity lends good sense of freshness and focus to the wine. The finish is young, lively and quite acid-driven with a dry, palate-cleansing aftertaste of tart green apples, some pithy grapefruit bitterness, a little bit of stony minerality, light leesy notes of creaminess, a hint of smoke and a touch of savory oak spice.
A nice, fresh and youthful but also rather predictable and linear Chardonnay. I was really surprised how youthful the wine seemed to be - much younger than one would expect a Chardonnay almost 7 years old to be. I guess these Stelvin closures just put a wine in a time capsule, so it doesn't go anywhere - this drinks like a wine only one year old. I guess it's fine for some people, but I'd rather have a wine that shows its age. This was quite straightforward and effort, not unlike a nice basic-level Chablis or something in that vein. No thrills or frills. Good enjoyable stuff with potential for future development - although judging from the glacial pace at which this wine seems to be aging, I'd say this won't reach its plateau of maturity at least in the following decade or two.
(86 points)
Posted from CellarTracker