This month’s CLG Wine Club primary white selection is the ‘06 Yangarra Estate, McLaren Vale Single Vineyard Chardonnay – a wine we’d had before but chose it based on our memory and some other external factors. Tonight we planned a dinner of chicken in olive oil with a slight spiced seasoning, so I figured we’d crack a bottle of the Yangarra Chard. Wow! What a great re-visit!
The Yangarra Estate ( http://www.yangarra.com/ ) property, located in South Australia, is 420 acres, of which 250 acres are planted to vineyard. Although South Australia is located in the middle, along the southern coast, of Australia, the majority of wine regions face west with the ocean imparting its influence. The winery was founded in 2000, although most of the vineyards were planted in the late 1940’s. This Chardonnay was fermented in stainless steel and saw no malolactic fermentation (the process which converts malic acid – that crisp apple like acidity – to lactic acid – the smooth acid found in milk which smooths the texture). It was aged 4 months sur-lie (on the dead yeast cells) which further adds a creamy body/texture and structure. This vision leads to a wine true to fruit character retaining crispness.
So what did we think? Well, I blinded Loreen when she arrived home… her first smells were mineral, stone and salty… somewhat Chablis like in her mind. In tasting she got a ton of lime, acid and the sensation of licking a stone (remember when you were a kid and you’d lick a stone on the beach to wet it and make the colors stand out?). Continued smelling & tasting shows the creamy result of malolactic fermentation and sur-lie ageing. I got some pear and lime and other stone fruit on the palate. The crisp acid showed very well and paired well with our spiced (not hot spice… just a blend of flake salt, black pepper, orange peel and coriander) chicken. I think Loreen was right on to compare it to Burgundy… with it’s mineral notes and crispness. We are still (as I type) really enjoying it… and it’s changing in the glass!
One of the things that you should accept as a lead down the road to deciding the quality of a wine is how much you have to say about it… if upon tasting a wine you are able to name three or four “flavors” and identify some sensations – and comparisons to things you know – these are all signs! Relish in this… it means the wine you’re drinking is probably pretty damn good. This is one of those wines. This wine, although CLG priced at $17.99, easily drinks in the $22.00+ range. Loreen and I agree… 90-91 points. If you get a chance, give the Yangarra Chard a try.
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Regards,
Ron
