Terroir-istes International - Australia-Margaret River Chardonnay

A deep dive into Margaret River Chardonnay

• 2015 McHenry Hohnen Chardonnay Burnside 92 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  (Tasted Blind): A distinct mineral, cordite nose marked by dried biscuit, lemon, jasmine/lucerne and grapefruit with whiffs of nut and double cream. Oak is evident but works.
  Savoury notes on the entry have a cleansing acidity, richness with oatmeal texture, and lovely depth, suggesting plenty of bâtonnage. Good use of oak adds a spicy dimension but is nicely offset by plenty of fruit. A pleasant gait in the wine, there is a positive vein of minerality in the wine, and the wine has charm and elegance but with an understated power. Toasty notes complete the long finish. Some felt the oak was too much; others saw the alcohol as too high.

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• 2017 L.A.S Vino Chardonnay Wildberry Springs 89 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  (Tasted Blind): Aromas of green apple, lemon, and clementine notes with a hint of savoury overlay give the impression of an earlier picked style, yet this does reflect that cool, low pH style that MR has. It is almost reminiscent of a Chablis style, but poking through is a little dried pineapple.
  On entry, it is sweet lemon pomelo notes and Galia Melon but mostly green apple. A dry, chalky texture and tangy acidity give it some tightness, and the wine has impressive intensity and a long, lingering finish. The mid-palate is enriched by a little spicy new oak and clotted cream. Closes with more exotic fruit components. The wine improved in the glass and was linear in shape. Acidity was pushing towards being h high and a little jarring.

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• 2017 Hay Shed Hill Chardonnay 91 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  (Tasted Blind): The bouquet shows hints of development, and the nose is fairly intense with golden apple, baked apple, honey, and nectarine, although with a twist of lime.
  Still, not past it, the wine exhibits freshness, and the entry has a zippy, tangy, almost sour acidity with flavours of orange and tangerine peel, white peach and a pithy texture. As it opened, it improved and sat up in the glass, with a linear palate shape and long length. Nice and bright, the acidity did slightly protrude.

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• 2016 Vasse Felix Chardonnay Filius 88 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  (Tasted Blind):An inviting aroma of apples in a wicker basket, complemented by lemon, light toast, mineral and hint of dry chalk. I also picked up a pineapple or perhaps dried pineapple nunance. Fairly intense, plenty of juicy white apple flesh and lemon travel sweets are in the mid-palate, supported by a fresh acidity. A lighter-bodied, airy style yet with some oatmeal notes, the wine flows along with those more exotic tones coming to the back palate of lemon drop or curd and dried pineapple. It's not that serious, perhaps a little simple and short, but I found it an enjoyable light style that does what it says on the tin.

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• 2012 Vasse Felix Chardonnay Margaret River 90 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  (Tasted Blind): Initial aromas of cordite and struck match are followed by lemon zest and pomelo. The wine has a juicy, vibrant acidity and is linear and slender (no fat here, but not lean). There are notes of toast and coffee grinds, even with a touch of cheese rind, honey and toasted almonds, but the general feel is freshness, and the wine is crispy and lip-smacking. A relatively long finish, the wine perhaps lacks some stuffing but has a delicacy and its length is medium. Closes with sea salt, ocean breezes and some rocks shards.

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• 2014 Vasse Felix Chardonnay Heytesbury 96 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  (Tasted Blind): A distinct jasmine and floral aroma with struck match, smoke and toasty oak. Intense, the wine enters with a little more richness on the palate with more depth and a frame of zippy acidity. Flavours of lemon/lime peel, clementine rind, crushed rocks with a delicate creamy oatmeal base. A pithy texture, concentration and subtle power make for an excellent wine. Closes with salted lemons and sea spray. Outstanding precision and clarity.
  Spent 9 months in French oak. Full solids, so a dirty ferment. 65% new oak.

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• 2007 Cullen Wines Chardonnay Kevin John 94 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  (Tasted Blind): Shy at first, but then aromas of wet chalk, crushed rock, lemon and some orange zest with a little baked apple and custard, all adding up to a fresh nose.
  This reflects on the palate, which has purity and is still quite tight with notes of some tidal pool, salted lemon rind notes, and more crushed rocks, assuaged by some white stone fruits and an apple note. So alive although some commented that it lacks the precision of great white Burgundy. Complex with a long length, this still has time but has enormous potential. Fab.

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• 2016 Cullen Wines Chardonnay Kevin John 95 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  (Tasted Blind): Again, fresh and vibrant with plenty of lemon, lime blossom, floral note and white pear. The wine is zingy and fresh on entry, and there is more richness to the mid-palate with a touch of butter, nut and toasty oak but set against a plethora of lemon rind, fresh yellow apple, sea spray and Pomelo.
  The wine has plenty of character but falls away from a task at the finish. Nicely textured there is a suppleness. Fantastic

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• 2015 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Prelude 88 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  (Tasted Blind): An initial restraint, the wine with swirling shows minerals, fresh chalk, apple and chopped stone. A fresh, vibrant entry, the wine has a fresh, horizontal acidity without the depth or complexity of previous wines.
  Subtle and elegant with lime, white peach and pear flavours, nut, and toast. Finishes quite short.

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• 2003 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series 89 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  (Tasted Blind): Some development with mint, pineapple, spice and caramel. Still vibrant with a lively acidity, it is holding up, yet the caramel does start to infiltrate the wine, becoming like a humbug candy. However, a perfume scent also permeates it, and the acid structure seems to be holding even if it should have been drunk by now. Definitely offering more than expected.

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• 2014 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series 95 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  (Tasted Blind): A fresh mineral aroma with a touch of SO2. Then stone fruits, green apples and crushed nuts. Bright, tight and acidic on entry, this is still remarkably youthful. Plenty of character, and the wine has a lovely gait and fabulous mineral precision with a well-defined chiselled texture. Flavours of apple, chopped stone, and it feels at times like you are sucking on a lemon! This is an excellent wine with a long finish with lip-smacking intensity, although some felt it lacked depth and was a little generous. Elegant too!

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