Australian Chardonnay, are you a fan? If so post here!

Sarah Ahmed, aka the Wine Detective, is big on Oz Chardonnay. I think we here on WLDG should think about setting up an on-line tasting one weekend or even an Open Mike perhaps?
What are the thoughts?

Bob, I'm not really a fan of Aussie Chard. There was one I tasted last November, Isolation Ridge Chard from Frankland Estate, which I liked a lot (one of the best wines of the show which i have forgotten to write up ) but most of the others which I have had are too buttery, too sweet and too blowsy. I think that the climate in most parts of Oz is too warm to make the sorts of Chard which I like. New Zealand is much better.

As to joining in an OM, my problem is the same as for March's proposed WF on New World Rhone styles, i.e. only easy availability is of the sorts of wine which are likely to confirm my prejudices. But don't let that deter you any more than it deters David.

I used to get Emailed reports from Sarah Ahmed but I can't recall having seen any lately.
PS - one arrived today.

Aussie Chardonnay is one of my guilty pleasures. Right up there with Sparkling Shiraz.

Too broad a brush. But essentially: No, not most of them.

The typical style of Aussie Chardonnay has changed significantly in style over the last 5-10 years. Perhaps the "new wave" style doesn't get to N.America (or Belgium) much (yet), but it's actually quite difficult to find a big buttery oaky creature in Australia these days! The current tend is for leaner Chardonnays, with higher acidity and less oak (though, to generalise, still plenty of oak and weight by European standards IMO). Malo/MLF is rarer (thus butteriness is less common) and the style shows more gentle lees-influence (if at all). Indigenous fermentation is much more common (a good thing IMO). Tropical fruit flavours aren't as common as they used to be.

Many wine writers and drinkers seem to be praising modern style - especially Aussie (to be expected though) and British. I personally find most of the wines styled in this way to be insipid and uninspiring, often with unbalanced acidity (too high to balance the other components in the wine). As a generalisation, this goes for most of the famous producers: Cullen, Leeuwin, Moss Wood, Pierro, Cape Mentelle (perfect example), Coldsteam Hills, Shaw and Smith, Bindi, Mount Mary, Penfolds Yattarna, even Giaconda (to some extent).... (Eileen Hardy and Petaluma Tiers may be exceptions - bigger and oakier).

I think most Aussie Chard fruit is better suited to a riper style (stone fruit and touches of tropical, though not fully blown tropical fruit salad), tending towards lower acidity, and significant yet not obvious oak. (I think Bannockburn manage to find this middle-road quite well.) That style of Aussie Chardonnay isn't my favourite style of Chardonnay, so it's not a matter of personal preference, it's about the style of wine I think the fruit is best suited to making.

If you haven't tried any of the above producers (recently) then you may be interested to (assuming you have an outdated appreciation of Aussie Chard). Though I'd recommend producers like Thick as Thieves, Tapanappa or Oakridge (not so much because I think they're fantastic as that I think they may enlighten the taster/drinker) over the above for a different experience - and Bannockburn (especially the SRH) over all of the above. Personally, I'd rather drink Burgundy almost any day though!

Ben, thanks for that. Clearly I'm out of date and have a lot to learn. I know one shop in Brussels (in a difficult parking area ), which stocks a wide range of Australian wine, including probably some you mention here, and there is a big importer of New World (and New World style Old World) wines at Sint-Truiden, about 70km east of Brussels, i.e. too far to get a casual bottle.

I'm tempted to do some research but your parting shot -

"Personally, I'd rather drink Burgundy almost any day though!"

makes me wonder if I'll find it worthwhile.

[David M. Bueker]

No

In general, no, but, there's probably some un-oaked versions that I'd like. 95% of my chardonnay drinking is Burgundy but that represents a very very small % of the bottles of wine that I drink in a year. Can't afford many Lafon Meursaults.

I've had a few unoaked or lightly oaked Australian Chards that I liked--can't recall the names however.

Great response so far. I myself seem to prefer chardonnay from the cooler climates, namely the Margaret River area. Vasse Felix namely!!

WTN: 2009 Vasse Felix Chardonnay Margaret River.

Pale yellow in color, note some oak on the nose but does not detract really. White stone-fruit, apple, lime I think? Initial entry is medium acidity, citrusy, good length, some kiwi. Needs some time I think to lose the austere touch here. "Sharp finish...no tropical fruits" from across the table.
I will get one more and put aside.

I am also wondering if we should be looking at the Adelaide Hills region?

I'm with Tom and JC on this one. I used to drink a lot of the unoaked stuff from OZ before I found better version (to my palate) in the Finger Lakes. We also drink a lot of Maconaise for the same reason. Still grab an Aussie off the shelf from time to time for old times sake.

We love the flavor of Chardonnay, but don't like it altered with oak or milk.

One of the best of the Unoaked Chardonnays from Aussieland is Wakefield from Clare Valley. Unoaked, but also stirred on the lees for added body and a little tang of spiciness. Should be available in Canada, I think. Awesome good and nicely priced.

Simple truth is the majority of what's available from OZ around here is basically the plonkiest---Yellow Tail and such---which I don't like and don't drink. Takes a stretch to find the good stuff, and costs more besides. Plus, there's a better and more reliable selections of Macon Blanc and even decent Bourgogne Blanc and Chablis AOC, along with some local Oregon or even California stuff...so I just don't "go" Australian that much anymore.

Essentially, Australia doesn't have that much unique or different or spectacular that I can't already get from some place else, and often at a better price, and I'm not willing to work hard or pay more. goddam rarefied taste buds, thin wallet and laziness combined .

We love the flavor of Chardonnay, but don't like it altered with oak.

More Coche, Ramonet, and Carillon for me!

I almost never drink Australian Chardonnay (on purpose, at least, sometimes it's house pour at an event). I have liked the Leeuwin Art series before, lots of oak, but nervy at the same time (maybe no malo?- reminds me of Mayacamas Chard in a way). But it's priced very high- twice as much as the Mayacamas, 3-4 times as much as some Bourgogne AC I like as much.

I do have a bottle of cheap Oz Chard I'll open for cooking this week.

I'm tempted to do some research but your parting shot - "Personally, I'd rather drink Burgundy almost any day though!" makes me wonder if I'll find it worthwhile.

Glad it was of interest. I'd argue that Burgundian Chardonnay can (and very often does) offer greater complexity, superior balance, ageability, and intrigue. But it could equally be retorted that that's just my personal preference. (I have probably tortured myself enough with disappointment over Aussie Chards to last me years ahead, but much of that comes from an intellectual interest and winemaking perspective.) I'd say it's worth trying at least one bottle (I'm an advocate of proving/negating one's prejudice/opinion and constantly updating one's exposure/experience of wine styles), but choose carefully.

Echoing Ben’s comments - Australian Chardonnay has come a long way in 5 to 10 years. Gone are the buttery oak bombs that were the standard in the late 90s, there is a lot more restraint shown among the good makers now, better, less ripe fruit, less oak, and less winemaking too. Victoria seems to be the centre of the universe for the new wave. Producers like Oakridge, Yabby Lake, Kooyong.
Interested to see the comment favouring NZ. I always expect to like NZ Chardonnay more than Oz on the whole, but it seems to be taking NZ makers longer to dial down the oak.


Heres a note on the Tomboy Hill Rebellion Chardonnay, made from a very cold vineyard near Ballarat:

If you're looking for fruity, sundreched ripe chardonnay - look away now as the following note may disturb some viewers. This is poles apart from the jingoistic ideal of chardonnay, and the sundrenched fruit is only a whisper here, in its orange citrus form. The rest is about structure and savoury tastes and smells. Almond meal. Cashews. Creamy oak. This is what you get from a cold vineyard near Ballarat - savouriness, restraint and lovely balance. Not to say this is light on flavour, there coiled power here and an underlying richness to this. Its taken 5 years to get to this pont, who knows how long it wil take to fully unfurl. Lovely - and in the scheme of things $35 is very good value.

Cheers

Andrew

[Jenise]

Like a Leeuwin Artist Series? I love them. The Aussie style is big but they almost always have the acidity and structure to carry it.

Margaret River Chardonnay 2008 – Stella Bella – Alc.13% -(€16). This avoids caricature and is a wine to please lovers of Chardonnay but less, I think, most lovers of white Burgundy. Of its kind it is a very good wine and Germaine immediately liked it. There was a refulgent and complex bouquet with lots of good aromas like white fruit with a lot of peach and touches of flowers, spice, minerals, cream and nice Norman butter. The medium/full palate was well balanced with attractive creamy fruit and burgeoning aromas as on the nose, with hints of sweetness offset by some decent acidity and mineral notes and with some burnished butter hints towards the finish. Though there is no doubt that this wine has seen new oak, its presence was well integrated and showed as a polished patina. We finished the bottle without difficulty; 16/20.

It is hard to explain why I am underwhelmed; I think that it is because the attractive aromas seem overdone with an artificial seeming boost (perhaps a contribution of commercial yeasts?) and because I prefer my Chard with more grip and backbone and with less cream and butter. There are producers of white Burgundy like this one, e.g. Comte Lafon in the 90s (I haven’t had more recent vintages), but they are not my favourites.

Tim, I used to see Stella around here and always found their entry level Shiraz to have appeal. I had forgotten about this thread so thanks for gentle reminder.