91 Points Robert Parker
The 2019 Bullengarook Chardonnay weighs in at just 12.5% alcohol (according to the label), but it's no skinny, anemic offering. The nose boasts flinty nuances, hints of white peaches, blanched almonds and fresh lime juice, while the medium-bodied palate finely balances slightly rounder silk and custard notes against lighter, fresher yet intense sensations of citrus and rainwater that linger on the finish. While I personally prefer a bit more richness and generosity in Chardonnay, this is a notable effort. Fermented in new barrels but aged in a single used puncheon, the oak is barely discernible, with much of the wine's texture no doubt attributable to lees contact. Only 887 bottles were produced in this first commercial vintage.
Reviewed by
Joe Czerwinski
Issue Date
27th Feb 2021 Drink from 2021.
2026.
95 Points James Halliday
The inaugural release, a mere 887 bottles produced. Off a high-density site – 12,000 vines/ha with 4,400 harvested for just 900 kgs of fruit. Whole-bunch pressed straight to a new Stockinger 300L barrel and one 229L Dominique Laurent barrel for primary fermentation, then transferred to a used cask for aging on lees and mlf. Unfined, unfiltered, bottled by gravity and by hand. Quite a deep yellow/straw hue yet it has clarity. I'm not overly fond of new Stockinger oak for chardonnay in particular, as it can often impart a bitter character, but the richness of fruit has tamed that and all else besides. Full bodied and flavoursome with hints of stone fruit, flint, ginger spice and a layer of creamy lees. Let's be clear: this is not a fruit-driven wine – it's savoury and textural. The flavours build, and while it feels substantial, there's a freshness to the acidity cutting through. Drink to 2028.
Jane Faulkner. August, 2021