WTN - in which I re-discover Aussie Chardonnay

Over the past year or so I've encountered a number of entry-level Australian Chardonnays that have demonstrated that when they get it right, it is some of the most delightful stuff to drink. A couple months ago I had two that, found on clearance and having had a little extra bottle age, had shed their baby fat to reveal some real elegance.

Hardys, Chardonnay, Stamp of Australia, SE Australia 2005
Pure golden yellow. Pear and pinapple, with a touch of mango and floral peach nectar near the finish. Full bodied and rich but showing some elegance in its balance; the extra bottle age seems to have allowed this to mellow and resolve into something surpasing its entry level status. Remarkable. Drink now. Excellent (87 - 90) [3/5/10]

Rosemount, Chardonnay, Diamond Label, SE Australia 2007
White peach, pinapple, orange nectar, oak/nutmeg, mineral. Full bodied and rich but balanced. Good value. Drink now. Good value. Excellent (87 - 90) [3/7/10]

Ryan
Wow, that's quite some achievement for the stamp label. Not many would hold out hope at 5 years old, for a low-priced label that's often discounted very cheaply.
Good for you tasting them with an open mind!

regards
Ian

Hey Ian. To be honest, these came home because my wife happened upon a clearance at a local grocery store where the wines were deeply discounted to an almost unbelievable extent (for example, I had gotten a $30 Chianti for $12.50 in a previous round of clearance at the same store), and couldn't resist picking up some whites for cooking. She showed me what she had got, and when she pulled out the Hardys, my heart sank just a bit, because she was rather excited about these great deals she had gotten, and I felt badly because even at $3.50 a bottle, I would not have bothered. So, when it got opened for cooking, I was expecting very little. But I do think I have a bit of a gift for being able to taste any wine with an open mind (thus my enjoyment of various geriatric Bordeaux). Frankly, I'm so encouraged by these two that if I'm tempted to buy half a case of some solid entry level Aussie Chard and let it mellow for a few years.