2016 Alkoomi Chardonnay Black Label

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 90 points

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  11/7/2022 - forceberry wrote: 86 Points

  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.

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