I’ve been putting off opening about twenty or so 2008 Rieslings and tonight I’ve done it again. "Arses to it", I thought to myself…."I’m in the mood to taste Chardonnay..those Rieslings must wait…"
White peach, juicy nectarine, almond meal and spiced oak with wisps of smokiness floating above. In the mouth a fuller style, not quite soft and plump exactly, but perhaps like an athlete that’s finished up a couple of seasons ago. The acidity is fine and gently laced through the wine and there’s spicy oak seasoning adding, well, spice and a light grapefruitness giving freshness and vigour. Long dry finish that’s slightly bitter but otherwise excellent. Drink : 2009 - 2012 93/91 Points Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
The 2007 vintage of the Coldstream Hills Reserve Chardonnay has continued the label’s successful run, winning Champion Wine of Show at the 2009 International Chardonnay Challenge in New Zealand, announced Friday night (29 May, 2009). The wine also won Best International Chardonnay and Best Oaked Chardonnay at the show. The 2007’s early haul could see it catch up to its predecessor – the 2006 Reserve Chardonnay – which won ten trophies on the Australian wine show circuit. Elated Coldstream Hills winemaker Andrew Fleming says his team were having a belated celebration for the 2006 Reserve Chardonnay’s trophy success when they heard the New Zealand results.
"I guess the 2007 Reserve Chardonnay surprised me more than the 2006 did – right from the word go I knew the 2006 would be smart but the 2007 has been a bit of a sleeper and needed a little more time to come together," Andrew said. "The 2007 vintage was difficult – we had frost, drought and bush fires, but out of that we’ve managed to craft a pretty special wine," Andrew said. The majority of the grapes for the Reserve Chardonnay come from the Coldstream Hills Briarston Vineyard, which has five Chardonnay clones. It produces Chardonnay with attractive fruit characters of white peach, citrus and quince. Barrel fermentation and maturation in new (65%) and one year old French oak barrels adds further complexity and texture to the wine.
Andrew says he seeks complexity in Coldstream Hills Chardonnay with attractive varietal fruit characters, underlying barrel fermentation and mineral notes, texture and length. Malolactic fermentation is not encouraged, in order to preserve natural acidity. Coldstream Hills made approximately 550 cases of the 2007 Reserve Chardonnay. It has a recommended retail price of $56 a bottle. Coldstream Hills
