January 12, 2022 - Big and buttery up front but dissipated quickly. Almost a little too heavy to begin with. Wondered if it has got a little too old now? Still an excellent Chardonnay through and very elegant
July 30, 2021 - Well, the piss yellow green colour has faded (thankfully)!. Bright colour, hints of lime tinge on the colour. Interesting nose, started soft and buttery but after one hour woody notes came through followed by hints of Amafli lemons. Butter on the palate plus the woodiness. Love this wine and will no doubt continue to evolve both in glass and bottle
February 14, 2021 - Under cork. Our last bottle of the 2004. Gold now. It has mellowed nicely with time. Judging by my notes not as full and decadent as the last opened three years ago but still rich. Bosc pear, baked apple, spice and a touch of toffee. Good acidity on a long finish. We loved this wine in its youth but it is better now.
September 5, 2020 - Crowd favourite over the Grand Cru Chablis. Which was surprising. Coming it at 14.5% alc, it’s big and bold. White fruits, pears, a little honeysuckle. Some flint on the nose? As excellent as the first bottle.
August 1, 2020 - Drank over 2 nights. Under screwcap. Was worried it was outside the drinking window, but CellarTracker reviews suggested it was fine. And indeed it was. Golden yellow colour now, buttery vanilla - classic early 2000s Australian Chard. But that’s not a bad thing given how “lean” some are now. Some gun flint on the nose. White fruits. But still some acidity.
April 20, 2020 - dark gold, lots of clarity, silvery hue
Nose: pear, tart apple, stone fruit, marigold, honey, wax, butter, touch lemon, thyme, white pepper, musk, minerals, oak
Pal: pear, tart apple, stone fruit, marigold, brioche, cashew, honey, wax, butter, lemon, white pepper, thyme, musk, minerals, toasted caramel, oak, complex
Feel: full, medium, savory, minerals
Finish: long
TC10
January 1, 2019 - What a pity...
May 8, 2018 - Posh and decadent (in a good way) with great fruit and acidity on the finish. Butterscotch, lemon, ripe apple and spice. We have been buying this wine through several vintages now and like to hold off for a few years. We need to wait longer. At fourteen years this bottle has moved up to another level. Matching it with grilled lobster did not hurt. An exceptional wine.
December 9, 2017 - Brian + Sylvia, Wedding Dinner (Leeuwin Estate): Pretty good, and some on the table really liked this, but I somehow thought the 2014 that we had alongside showed just that touch better. This had plenty of honey and caramel, burnt butter and bitter almond notes on the nose and palate - the oak coming out a bit more as the fruit receded. It was perhaps just a bit too popcorny for my liking. Still though, a nice new world Chardonnay nose. The palate was rather richer than on the 2014, with ripe yellow fruit aplenty in a creamy mouthful, before the oakier popcorn notes came out again on the finish. Lots of layered depth here, but it was also nicely balanced by a good bit of acidity. All in all, a yummy wine drinking well at the moment, but a touch obvious for me.
September 27, 2017 - Was worried about 13 year old Aussie Chardonnay in a screw top. Wow. This is as good as any aged Burgundy 1er Cru. Straw colored, notes of apple, pear, and earth on nose. Wonderful mouth feel, well balanced, long finish. Doesn't get any better. Unfortunately my last 2 bottles. Drink now