WTN: A pair of poles-apart Chardonnays

Penfolds Reserve Bin 00A Chardonnay 2000

Somehow I managed to score a case of this via Langton’s and Anders Josephson. And for the condition/quality, a sub-30 dollar purchase was, with hindsight, not such a bad thing at all (as long as the rest are as good as this one).

Surprisingly, still garnishes a deep pale green/bright lemon colour suggesting a wine of great depth. The bouquet abounds with a startling mix of lime, green melon, struck match, oatmeal, grilled cashew, bacon fat, minerals, coddled cream and smoke, almost invoking a sense of the “new” world meeting the “old”. The palate carries good weight, retains a relatively tight profile although I was particularly impressed with the intensity and density of the grapefruit and melon flavour, ably supported by subservient mealy/smoky bacon French oak, offering the hope of holding for quite a few years to come. There’s sufficient minerally acidity and grip to provide further nourishment and although the finish lacks a little charm, it certainly does linger for a considerable duration. I’d rate this just in between Excellent/Outstanding and award the very healthy score of 90 points. The wine needs to be drunk now and over the next several years if provenance has been as good as this bottle suggests.

13.5% A/V. Sourced from Adelaide Hills and Tumbarumba fruit. Cork sealed.


Domaine William Fevre Chablis Grand Cru Valmur 2005

Bought quite a few of these on the strength of stellar performances from the same label from 2000 and 2002.

Bright straw green. Tender, somewhat unevolved but entirely classy and engaging bouquet of white flowers, oyster shell, ozone, sea salt, juicy green melons and a hint of wheatmeal. The palate tight, linear and focused with unexpectedly ripe minerally, chalky acidity, perfectly counterbalancing a wealth of melon/citrussy fruit. Persistent, authoritative but dry, crisp finish, crying out for more down time in the cellar. Drink 2012 - 2020. 13.0% A/V. Cork sealed. 92 points.

[Jenise]

Does the 'A' attached to that name indicate what the A means on my 90A Granges?

I think that illustrates very nicely why European AOC/DOC wines are marketed on place not varietal names. There is more diversity and distinctiveness between White Burgs from Chablis, Côte d'Or and Mâconnais than there is between commercial Chards from Chile, California, South Africa, etc.

That said, I think it would be helpful if European AOC/DOC wines had back labels giving their varietal composition; rules to this effect may be on the way.

Does the 'A' attached to that name indicate what the A means on my 90A Granges?

I don't believe the 'A' bears any particular significance, Jenise.

However, there is a story I've heard from several sources as how the "A" may have became part of Penfolds labeling.

As many of you would know, Penfolds attach a Bin number to the majority of their perennial red wine brands - Bin 95 Grange, Kalimna Bin 28, Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz, etc.. Back in the 1960's, Penfolds chief winemaker, the legendary Max Schubert made a "special bin" red that was to become an iconic wine, now widely regarded as one of Australia's best ever - the Bin 60, a wine comprising Coonawarra Cabernet and Kalimna Shiraz from the great 1962 vintage. At a very early point of its release onto the market, Max, supposedly, wasn't happy with aspects of the wine's development in the bottle, recalled it, gave it a bit of "a tweek" (to my knowledge, nobody has ever intimated what he "did") and re-released it as Bin 60A. In 1980, 1990 and 2004, Penfolds, using the same regional source and varietal blend as the 1962 Bin 60A, released, respectively, the Bin 80A, Bin 90A and then (to my chagrin) relabeling the 2004 as Bin 60A, once again.

The Chardonnay I reviewed above seems to utilise a similar system, using the year (2000 = 00, 2004 = 04 etc.) then adds the A (seemingly, for next to no good reason).