Chardonnay tasting at Ultimo

a dozen good to very good quality Chardonnay's from Australia and New Zealand from mid sized (for Australia and New Zealand) producers

• 2011 Bellwether Chardonnay

  Australia, Tasmania, Tamar Valley

  Aromas of peach, slightly dusty, cream. In the mouth the wine is quite textured with alcohol heat on the back of the palate. A little sour and bitter for me.

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• 2011 Derwent Estate Chardonnay

  Australia, Tasmania, Southern Tasmania

  Toast, cedar, sandalwood, spice, very perfumed floral, lemon and stone fruit. In the mouth citrus notes with spice and oak. Hmm

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• 2012 Howard Vineyard Chardonnay Amos

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills

  Jubey fruit, ripe peach and nectarine and toasty, oaky notes. In the mouth residual sugar leaves a cloying flabby sensation. Nah.

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• 2012 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay

  Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley

  Lees, toast, menthol over muted citrus; lemon. Quite mouth coating and finishes with spice notes. Pleasant. Needs time.

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• 2011 Toolangi Chardonnay

  Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Yarra Valley

  Stone fruit, mineral, buttered toast, slight white pepper, struck flint. In the mouth the wine is bitter and slightly sour with buttery notes.

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• 2012 Willow Creek Chardonnay

  Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Mornington Peninsula

  Funky, cheesy meaty notes over lemon hints. In the mouth there is a lemon tang, slight bitterness and cheesy leesy notes that lend weight to the palate

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• 2012 Neudorf Chardonnay

  New Zealand, South Island, Nelson

  Spice, butter, slightly jubey/confected peaches and apricot. The palate is dominated by spiced oak, tight, quite tough, over bitter fruit. Long finish but not very nice for me. Perhaps needs more time?

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• 2012 Craggy Range Chardonnay Gimblett Gravels Vineyard

  New Zealand, North Island, Hawke's Bay, Gimblett Gravels

  Peaches, spice - the fruit is quite vibrant - perhaps ginger notes over obvious oak. In the mouth the spiced oak is to the fore, with buttery elements as well. Nothing else here for me. In fact really quite unpleasant.

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• 2011 Lake's Folly Chardonnay

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Initially aromas of fresh podded pea, slight cream and quite muted stone fruits and citrus. In the mouth juicy acidity, spicy with slight butter notes. Quite tangy fruit. Medium plus length. I think this should have been earlier in the line up as it is quite subtle. Hmm.

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• 2012 Devil's Lair Chardonnay

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Perfumed floral notes, toast, butter, toasted notes even, slight sherbet, touches of citrus and spice. In the mouth the wine is tangy and textually quite mouth coating. Bit of alcoholic warmth on the long finish. Okay

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• 2012 Howard Park Chardonnay

  Australia, Western Australia

  Cheese, butter, floral talc, peach, toast. Juicy and spicy but quite short and lacking fruit on the palate for me.

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• 2012 Singlefile Estate Chardonnay Reserve

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Denmark

  Cheesy, Leesy, funky and struck match aromas dominate slight citrus fruit notes. In the mouth the wine is quite sour - unpleasantly so - there are dairy notes - cheese, butter - and an impression of oak water. I think my palate isn't working today.

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The previous evening had been a 40th with beer, wine and, alas, cigars which rather put paid to my taste buds, though my nose seemed to be okay. This may explain why I was struggling to get anything on the palate for a lot of these wines and why I found so many of them, frankly, disappointing. So…note to self...don't go to tastings after the (albeit very rare) cigar the night before.