5th March 2015
The team at Deep Woods continues to produce cracking wines. This time it is the turn of the Reserve Chardonnay to shine.
Vasse Felix also continues to impress. Whilst I have reviewed it before, the 2013 Heytesbury continues to impress. This wine is nothing short of spectacular.
The bargain of the tasting is likely to be the Clairault. A fine wine that will be close to half the price of the others listed here.
Reviewed
Vasse Felix – Chardonnay – Heytesbury – 2013 (18.7). More depth and complexity than any other wine tasted here. Opens with delicious curry leaf aromas and minerality over fine, texturing oak and lees work. The palate is very long and extraordinarily fine. This is a richly textured wine with expensive, yet restrained oak. A superb wine that is good now or any time in the next 5 years. A bargain compared to anything out of France. (RRP $65).
Deep Woods – Chardonnay – Reserve – 2013 (18.5). This is in a more savoury style. Spice and Chablis-like minerality over lemon and peach characters that tend towards white nectarine. The palate has underlying depth and power. Very long and fine, yet viscous, intense and powerful. Great wine.
Marchand and Burch – Chardonnay – Porongorup – 2013 (18+). (RRP $75). A superb wine that has plenty of pineapple (Gin Gin clone) fruit. Long and supple, the palate is a textural treat. The oak has been really well handled, framing the fruit without dominating. Will flesh out with a year or two in bottle.
Clairault – Chardonnay – 2012 (18 – 18.5). Whilst this is a leaner style, there is excellent quality fruit and fine balance. This is a subtle wine that needs some attention to appreciate its finer qualities. The restraint and subtlety means that this is a wine for the enthusiast rather than an everyday quaff.