Terroirist Sample Roundup #3
Tasted Friday, March 16, 2012 by davidwhitedc with 691 views
Introduction
Got together with some DC Terroirists (myself, Robby Schrum, Sarah Hexter) and some friends to formally taste several wines that had arrived as press samples over the previous few months. The wines were tasted in a single-blind format.
2010 Robert Oatley Chardonnay James Oatley TIC TOK 88 Points
Australia, New South Wales, Central Ranges, Mudgee
SRP: $15. Fermented in both tank and barrel; partial, secondary, malolactic fermentation. The nose is very neutral – hint of lemon drop and grass, with faint pineapple and other tropical fruits in the background. This wine goes down real easy, and would make for an excellent summertime Chardonnay.
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2010 Craggy Range Chardonnay Single Vineyard Kidnappers Vineyard
New Zealand, North Island, Hawke's Bay
SRP: $22. Fermented in both tank and barrel. On the nose, the wine doesn’t smell anything like -- extremely green, with strong, awkward notes of old vegetables and spinach. The acid is off-the-charts and doesn’t seem natural.
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2009 CalNaturale Chardonnay
USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino
SRP: $13 (per liter). Comes in a Tetra Pak. Poured into a bottle to avoid bias. An extremely ripe chardonnay, with super sweet melon, mango, and orange blossom on the nose. On the palate, sadly, the wine is a big disappointment – as it’s oily, alcoholic, and too sweet.
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2009 Robert Oatley Chardonnay Mudgee 86 Points
Australia, New South Wales, Central Ranges, Mudgee
SRP: $25. A small portion of the blend was fermented in stainless steel, the majority barrel fermented in mixture of new and one year old French oak. On the nose, honeydew melon, tropical mango, apricots and pineapple, with some reminds-me-of-Sauvignon-Blanc grass in the background. The oak is mild, but the malo comes across as burnt butter. A nice Chardonnay, but probably not worth the price.
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2009 Smith-Madrone Chardonnay 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
SRP: $35. 100% barrel fermented. On the nose, the wine is super interesting -- eucalyptus, ripe, wild apples, some sour lemon, and a hint of sweet herbs. The oak – which comes across as smoky cedar – is in the background, and not at all overwhelming. Some petrol on the palate. It’d be fun to see how this wine ages, as it has a lot of stuffing.
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2010 Morro Bay Vineyards Chardonnay Sur Lie Split Oak Estates 88 Points
USA, California
SRP: $10. Aged for six months on lees, with stirring every other week. On the nose and palate, tart lime, Green Apple Jolly Ranchers, and musty passion fruit, along with a strong note of vanilla.
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2010 Pali Wine Co. Chardonnay Charm Acres 91 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
$24.00. 25% new French oak; 25% stainless; 50% neutral oak; 10 months in barrel. Beautiful sea water and gray minerality on the nose, with ripe green apple, sweet pears, and citrus along for the ride. The mouthfeel is lush and round, with great acidity.
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2010 Joubert-Tradauw Chardonnay Barrel Fermented 93 Points
South Africa, Klein Karoo
SRP: $30. 100% barrel fermented. Wow – this wine is beautiful. Super ripe, fresh lemon on the nose, some grass and tart green apple, and a hint of tropical fruits. The lees comes across as lemon curd, and makes for a delightful, crisp-yet-creamy chardonnay. A fantastic, pure wine.
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