May 12, 2024 - Piping up here to add my own commentary to that of the previous posters, with whose considered opinions i could not disagree more. Yes this is a zero acid wine. But the combination of the oak and the thick skin tannin, extracted well by the winemakers, gives this a sense of textural pluripotence akin to a Krug. If you are only looking for acid 1) that makes you an unsophisticate 2) you will surely find none here. What this does have is a brilliant searing sense of heft and cut (almost alkaline) from a 20 year old hot climate chardonnay coming into the prime of its drinking window
October 21, 2023 - Neighbourhood gang late night at Maison Dakota. Tasted blind. Drank in Gabriel Standart. Later revealed to be under screw-cap.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, yellow lemon colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of yellow flowers, integrated toast oak, ripe citrus lemon. Developed.
On the palate, dry, medium acidity that gets flabby when warm, medium+ alcohol (14%), medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of ripe citrus lemon, yellow peaches, integrated toast oak, sweet cream and glycerin, Long finish.
Very good quality. Lovely depth of flavours, notwithstanding the dipping acidity sensation. Time to drink up and enjoy.
Very dry vintage, driest on record, but said to not be hot.
October 21, 2023 - good but a bit meh. the acid was just not as high as i would have preferred. that said, it wasn't flabby even in light of the high alcohol and the oak.
August 27, 2023 - Right at the end of its window
May 5, 2023 - Under cork. My second and last bottle. I was expecting this to be tiring, but this bottle was superb. A nose of pear and citrus, creamy and buttery with waxy and herbal notes. The palate is rich, yet balanced and fresh, with minerality and racy acidity. This is right in the drinking window. I have found Art Series chardonnay to be underwhelwing in the past, but this has opened my eyes to the potential here.
February 5, 2022 - Beautiful golden hue. Buttery nose, hints of waxed lemons and some nuttiness. Pretty complex palate, some ripe yellow kiwi, more butter but all wrapped around a structured core which leads to a good clean finish
September 7, 2020 - Terroir-istes International - Australia-Margaret River Chardonnay (Overgaauw Wine Estate): (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.
January 11, 2020 - At Gusto Restaurant, Noosaville. This wine was sealed under Stelvin and is a deep green gold colour with a nose of yellow peach, Nashi pear, touches of lemon, pineapple and cashews with some nutmeg oak characters. The palate is unctuous and rich yet quite refined with lots of extract and tannin giving real grip and length. It perhaps lacks the distinction of the best years but equally shows real development that puts aside some of the concerns about long term Stelvin closures.
October 7, 2019 - Darker color, great palate feel,and taste, coravined 6 weeks ago so this was the finish of the Btl, got better over time and warming up. Outstanding showing for a wine that can age.
February 2, 2019 - Lo Hei dinner at Peach Garden (Peach Garden, OCBC Building): First bottle in about 8 years - this has held admirably well. The nose was actually more attractive than to last couple of bottles, with sweet oak starting to recede, and more complex aromas of rich yellow fruit, a touch of florals, and a hint of mushroom and cream on the side. The palate was simpler than the nose promised, but was pleasant in its own way, with nicely fresh acidity framing bright flavours of yellow fruit and sweet lemons edged with sweeter tropical tones. It is a bit tamer and less in-your-face than before, which does the wine plenty of good. There was a little touch of minerality just starting to emerge as well. This has matured nicely. The finish just has a bit of ripe heat on it, but otherwise a nicely accomplished wine.