Sunday, July 18, 2010

HAHNDORF HILL WINERY CHARDONNAY 2008

- Adelaide Hills, SA
- $28
- Screwcap
- 13.0%alc

2008 marks the first release of Hahndorf Hill Chardonnay since the richly flavoured, butterscotch-accented 2004 (92pts). If you speak to the people at Hahndorf Hill, they'll tell you their chardonnay pairs very well with 66% cocoa bitter dark chocolate, and I'd have to agree!

Funky fruit aromas of fig, melon and cumquat rise from the glass of Hahndorf Hill's 2008 Chardonnay, alongside lesser notes of white nectarine, peach fuzz and butter oak. Plush and creamy, its well-rounded, generous palate delivers upfront, brassy fruit flavours with a clean, soft finish defined by nuances of sour cream, nuts and tangerine-like acids.

O Having tasted this wine both with and without bitter dark chocolate, I can say it drinks a lot better with the chocolate. Interestingly, the bitter chocolate seems to add backbone and a dry, savoury quality to the combined experience, which the wine sadly lacks when consumed alone. It's not bad though, but as I've said before, Australian chardonnay is a competitive marketplace these days. Drink to 2013.
89 points


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