1972 Hanzell Chardonnay

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  10/2/2017 - nzinkgraf wrote:

  Hanzell Estate Chardonnay 1972-2013 (Swift & Sons): At pop and pour this shows a particular sherried character. Jason notes that with 45min to an hour both the '72 and '77 will open up. For this '72, it felt like it could go either way for a moment.
  Sherry to start, but finely placed in that realm. Dark grain, a touch of hazelnut and toffee. But the sherry fades after 15 minutes in the glass. Palate is very graham cracker, nuanced Band-Aid disguised as old spearmint. Wine making has been remarkably consistent over the years at Hanzell, 9-12m in stainless on its lees, but with no lees stirring. (Jason talks about too much lees stirring being a likely culprit for Burg Premox. When left alone, lees scavenge oxygen, making for a very good preservative. But when stirred up to create fatness, it not only releases consumed O2, but also mixes in more from the atmosphere. It masks some of the 'thinness' of youth).
  
  The last sip after an hour and a half in the glass is straight butter.
  Overall, a remarkable and exciting ride, but there were others at the tasting that stole the show.
  One taster noted that Paul Draper had said 1972 was the coldest and wettest year of the '70s.

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