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White WineScribe Winery produces vibrant, terroir-driven wines from Sonoma, California. The winery was founded in 2007 on a property that helped pioneer pre-prohibition Sonoma Valley wine-making and is managed by fourth-generation California farmers and brothers, Andrew and Adam Mariani.
In the glass, this is a fresh, textured and complex Chardonnay with expressive notes of pineapple and orange zest layered with a touch of jicama and sea spray, through to a long, exquisite finish.
White WineThis 2013 Faultline Chardonnay now has 7 years of age and is mouth-wateringly beautiful.
The acclaimed wine author Tyson Stelzer said of this wine: ‘Scintillating. Effortlessly unites gunflint with pristine white peach and grapefruit, even nuances of white pepper. There is energy, tension and light-footedness and at the same time expansive presence and concentration that offers breadth and remarkable persistence. Benchmark’.
The Faultline Vineyard
Faultline, the largest block at Kooyong, is planted predominantly to Chardonnay in an area where the soils are characterised by a friable dark brown loamy clay. Adjacent to the Farrago block to the West, the Faultline block is more gently sloping. The block is bounded by a geological fault that runs along the south-western end, beyond which the soil becomes quite poorly drained. Before this fault, however, the soils are well-drained and high in organic matter. The Chardonnay from the Faultline block is rich and full, defined by a generosity of texture while still supported by Kooyong’s inherent minerality.
White WineThis is handpicked, single-site chardonnay at its very best — a whole bunch of pressed grapes, fermented with natural yeasts and left on its lees for 12 months. It’s a pretty hands-off process, really, but that’s the secret to letting the character of the site show its true colours. The result is a wine layered with complex savoury notes matched with crystalline, fresh, zesty fruit that fills the palate. Flinty mineral characters lead to grapefruit and lemon zest fruit while the barrel influence brings softer nougat, cashew and toast.
This wine can be drunk now or cellared for another 5-8 years for something very special!
The Faultline Vineyard
Faultline, the largest block at Kooyong, is planted predominantly to Chardonnay in an area where the soils are characterised by a friable dark brown loamy clay. Adjacent to the Farrago block to the West, the Faultline block is more gently sloping. The block is bounded by a geological fault that runs along the south-western end, beyond which the soil becomes quite poorly drained. Before this fault, however, the soils are well-drained and high in organic matter. The Chardonnay from the Faultline block is rich and full, defined by generosity of texture while still supported by Kooyong’s inherent minerality.
White WineThis 2012 Farrago is supremely elegant, complex and balanced, seamless and so aromatic. Reminiscent of Puligny Montrachet – peach, melon and nectarine knit with fresh vanilla oak and underpinned by nuances of grapefruit, ginger and cloves.
Thre palate just feels beautiful on the tongue. Smooth and creamy, with delightful roundness and fatness, it’s long, pristine and tightly focussed, with intense stonefruit, melon and citrus flavours deftly knit with vanilla oak and wrapped in a racy acidity. The finish lingers for a ridiculously long time. White Burgundy of this quality would cost you triple.
The Farrago Vineyard
Exclusively planted to Chardonnay, this small block is gently north-sloping with sediments ranging from those higher in sand to those higher in clay. The best fruit within the block comes from the zone higher in clay where the soil has a mottled appearance due to high sandstone pebble content, hence the block’s name Farrago. The Chardonnay from the Farrago block is defined by a precise linear character with strong silicaceous minerality. At its best, this is the premier white wine with the greatest ageing potential.
White WineOcean Eight is a family-owned and run by the Aylward family. Chris and Gail Aylward first made wine on the Mornington Peninsula in 1997 when they established the iconic Kooyong Estate. Having sold Kooyong in 2004 they setup Ocean Eight on the southern and more cooler side of the Mornington Peninsula. Ocean Eight is now run by their son Mike Aylward and his wife Hollie. The 2011 Chardonnay lives up to their reputation – macadamia-nut aromas with some clove spices resulting from the barrel fermentation. The fruit is very much in the lime and grapefruit spectrum. The finish is the highlight with a racy acid and mineral mouth-feel up the centre of the palate.
Awarded 97 points – James Halliday
White WineTen Minutes by Tractor needs little introduction, nor does the man in charge – Martin Spedding. A gently-spoken man with a background in finance and IT, in 2002, he finally acknowledged the fact that his true passion lay in wine. Despite his origins in New South Wales, he simply couldn’t get enough of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and would travel down to Victoria to immerse himself in Australia’s heartland of these noble varieties. In 2003 he visited one of his favourite small wineries on Mornington Peninsula and was delighted to discover that it was for sale. Without a moment’s hesitation, he snapped it up, and so began Martin’s journey with Ten Minutes by Tractor.
Aged in a mixture of new and old French oak barrels for 11 months. An exotic nose of curry leaf and spice with hints of honeydew and flint form the backbone of this multiple site Chardonnay. While the acid is tight, it creates a strong drive through the palate that is met by bursts of citrus peel with a fine finish.
White WineThe Estate series from Paringa is a step up from the Peninsula wines and represent the unique Paringa “style” upon which their reputation has been built. Expressive aromas of lemon sherbet, white peach, and hints of struck match, lead onto a racy palate. Vibrant fruit flavours are framed with crisp acidity which gives the wine a long, linear finish.
The fruit for this wine came from the ‘Estate’ vineyard, and the Callanan’s Road vineyard. The fruit comes from low-yielding vines, some of which are over 30 years old. They are grown in the typical red volcanic, iron-rich soil known as Ferrasol. The vines are sustainably cultivated, respecting the balance of the soil and the biodiversity of the environment.
White WinePiemonte produces some of the finest, most Burgundian, examples of Chardonnay in Italy. This is one of the best – a complex barrel-aged style, and one of Italy’s finest examples of the grape. The Chardonnay grapes are sourced from two parcels of vines. One is in Barbaresco, just below Martinenga, facing south-west at an altitude of 230m. The second is on the north-east side of Monte Aribaldo in the commune of Treiso, 370 metres above sea level.
This 2000 Grésy Chardonnay is a beautiful barrel-aged wine that is bursting with intense aromas of nougat, caramel and butter and hints of almond flakes. In the mouth it has a textured honeyed feel with complex layers of exotic fruits with honeyed apricots buffered by the persistent minerality that gave the wine its very long finish.
Champagne & Sparkling WineAn intense and luminous peachy pink rosé delivers delicate aromas of mandarin, peach, mulberries and raspberries. Refreshing, with a richness of fruit and a subtle hint of cocoa which is supported by a round, supple and velvety structure. The beautiful, silky texture is sustained by an elegant effervescence.
The grapes for this cuvée come from 20 Crus from the Grand and Premier Crus sites of the Champagne region. The Chardonnay comes predominantly from the Premier Cru of Vertus and contributes freshness and lemony notes, while the mineral dimension and flinty aromas, come from the Cru of Villers Marmery, which has a limestone soil. The Grands Crus and Premiers Crus villages of Chouilly, Avize, Oger and Vaudemange, complete the blend with strength and complexity. The Pinot Noir comes from the Grands Cru and Premiers Cru villages of Ay, Hautvillers, Avenay Val d’Or and Louvois; it produces light, tender and fruity wines, while the Pinot Meunier imparts a roundness and suppleness. A unique blend of terroirs, producing a unique Rosé Champagne.
White WineThe 2018 Benevolent Neglect Chardonnay was one of the most talked-about wines of 2019. They’re also one of the wineries that the eminent Jancis Robinson was referring to when she urged her readers to “ take advantage of the creativity of California’s new generation of wine producers.” So naturally, we are delighted to have finally secured a small allocation.
Don’t expect a big, over-the-top bottling, though—like all of Benevolent Neglect’s wines, the 2018 Chardonnay showcases precision and purity. Winemaker Matt Nagy says of his wine, “The goal with this wine was to eschew traditional ‘California Chardonnay’ as a style and make something more akin to a Cru Chablis.” As you might expect, the wine delivers on Matt’s vision. The nose leans towards fresh citrus flavours of yuzu and tangerine, with orange blossoms and hints of oyster shell. The palate is electric and direct, with white peaches joining the party alongside lemon marmalade, white pepper, and a mouth-watering finish.
This Chardonnay comes from a vineyard site that was special enough to warrant “a rehab project,” according to Matt. Organically farmed since the 1970s, the Chardonnay was ungrafted—a rarity in California that trades the eventual death of the vines by phylloxera, a soil-based parasite, for an extra layer of precision and intensity of flavour in the finished wines. The vines had been not-so-benevolently neglected over the last decade, but the raw material was so promising that Matt and his team poured in the work to bring the site back to greatness—and this bottling is proof that their effort was worth it.
As you might expect from the name, the winemaking style at Benevolent Neglect is to stay out of the way. The wines are fermented with native yeasts and this Chardonnay is aged in a minimal amount of new oak to allow the innate quality of the vineyard to shine through. Drink now – 2028.
Champagne & Sparkling WineThis is the definition of an under the radar Champagne. A Champagne house with a storied history, top-quality vineyards and award-winning products, that no one really knows about!
Since 1859, Duval-Leroy family has been perfecting the quality of its non-vintage Brut Reserve, balancing passion with aesthetics.
The House revels in the art of blending Pinots and Chardonnays. Enriched with around fifteen crus and a generous quantity of reserve wines, Duval-Leroy Brut Reserve confirms its complexity and is recognised for its consistency. Providing a perfect balance between finesse and power, it draws out flavours of dark chocolate, cinnamon and roasted yellow figs, expressing its subtle, melt-in-the-mouth vinosity.
White WineThis 2019 Fixin Blanc is a beautiful pale yellow colour that displays intense aromas of white peach and stone fruit, with hints of almond and gentle spice from time in oak. The palate is vibrant and fresh yet full-bodied and complex, and the finish long. Just 1500 bottles were produced. According to winemaker Grégory Patriat, the 2019 vintage will go down as a legendary one, just like 1969, 1979, 1999 and 2009. The summer months were very dry and the yields were much lower than normal due to the lack of water in the vineyards. However, this also resulted in smaller berries and highly concentrated aromas and flavours with the health of the grapes harvested exceptional. Harvest began in mid September.
This is the first vintage of Grégory’s Fixin Blanc which comes from a tiny plot within the very small Fixin appellation. Fixin is a village at the northern end of the Côte de Nuits. Apart from its neighbour, Marsannay, Fixin is the most northerly appellation in the Côte de Nuits, covering roughly 90 hectares. It is known principally for Pinot Noir. There are just 5 hectares planted to Chardonnay. Boisset’s Fixin Blanc comes from a small plot of 40 year old vines which are located beneath the famous 1er Cru ‘Clos du Chapitre’ on clay and limestone soils.
White WinePale yellow in colour with golden reflections. The seductive nose has aromas of green apple and white flowers that mingle with notes of toast and smoke. On the palate, the wine is supple with superb balanced and a bright, zesty acidity, which lifts the finish.
Grégory is renowned for his ingenuity in sourcing the highest quality fruit from small parcels, or ‘lieu-dits’, across the region, producing the finest wine that the vintage can offer. Nestled between the two famed villages of Volnay and Meursault, Auxey-Duresses has only 150 hectares of vines. Today, it producers some of the Côte’s best value for money wines. The fruit for Auxey-Duresses comes from a 0.31-hectare plot located in the extension of the Meursault appellation, where the soils are mostly limestone and the vines face northeast. The balance between warm and cool influences results in a long, slow ripening period, allowing the grapes to retain their acidity and lending excellent balance to the finished wines.
White WineThis chardonnay from the standout vintage of 2019 exhibits a pretty bouquet of fresh pear, citrus oil and white flowers, the 2019 Saint-Romain is medium to full-bodied, supple but lively, with a bright spine of acidity and a gently chalky finish.
Fruit for this Chardonnay is sourced from 2 lieu-dits in Saint-Romain, 80% from `Sous Roches` and the remaining 20% from `Jarrons`, located at the bottom of the village. The 30-year-old vines are planted on rocky soils with excellent drainage which allow the grapes to ripen at a steady pace and retain their vibrant flavours.
Champagne & Sparkling WineThis is an exceptional blend of seven Grands Crus and 13 Premiers Crus. The Chardonnay, predominantly from the commune of Vertus, contributes freshness and citrus notes. The Premier Cru of Villers-Marmery contributes to the mineral dimension of the limestone terroir along with smoky touches. The Pinot Noir imparts a richness and power thanks to historic Crus such as Ay, Hautvillers and Avenay Val d’Or blended with Crus from Rilly la Montagne. The Pinot Meunier from Villedommange completes the blend imparting a roundness and suppleness.
A swirl of very fine bubbles is reflected in a creamy style of Champagne with developed biscuity notes from extended ageing on the lees and a lovely long and savoury finish. This wine is full of charm.
This cuvée was bottle aged for a minimum of four years in the historic limestone cellars which are centuries old.
