- Pipers River/Coal River Valley, TAS - $27-$40
- Screwcap
- 13.0%alc
In the face of growing industry and perhaps even consumer resentment, Hardys' key brands continue to turn out fantastic wine. Tasmanian based Bay of Fires, whose wines seem to have reached another all time high, is a prime example.
Once again Bay of Fires' Chardonnay is brightly lit and funky, with cheesy, leesy scents of cashew nuts, peach, melon and bacon-like oak displaying attractive savoury complexity. Creamy on entry, its beautifully refined palate drives with agreeable viscosity, pushing forward a carefully balanced marriage of white nectarine, grapefruit and creamy, toasty oak. It announces a harmonious interweaving of refreshing lemon sherbet-like acids, before finishing with penetrative flavour, great length and a lasting presence of quirky chardonnay fruit character.
ü+ This immaculate, spotless Tasmanian chardonnay has really surprised me, it's an absolute bargain; a top drop. Probably the best Bay of Fires Chardonnay yet. Drink to 2016.
95 points
Dang! I think I've found my next bottle of chardonnay!
ReplyDeleteJade
Agreed, with enthusiasm.
ReplyDeleteTried this, along with the rest of the Bay of Fires range, at the Tassie tastings that toured the East Coast last week. This, along with the Freycinet Chardonnay, were among my favourites of the day.
Cheers for the tip Andrew! It's always a pleasure!
ReplyDeleteI assume you're talking about the 08 Freycinet Chardonnay? Like the 07 Bay of Fires Chardonnay I thoroughly enjoyed the 07 Freycinet and am keeping my eyes out for the 08. Modestly priced too...
Did you get the chance to sample the 09 Freycinet or 09 Bay of Fires Riesling? Now there's a couple of 09 rieslings I'm looking forward too AG.
Thanks again
Chris P