Apricus Hill Chardonnay 2021
- 92
- $35
- Drink by: 2022-2028
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A single vineyard Chardy from the Pemberton/Great Southern region of Western Australia, this is an impressive wine, even if quite young at this stage. Its was made from ‘free run’ juice which was fermented in new and second use French oak 500-litre puncheons with maturation for 9 months. Sunlit gold in colour, there is a tight and refined nose with gentle notes of stonefruits and hints of almonds, cumquats and orange rinds. The oak, with its vanillin touches, is there but it is melding well. Seamless in style, this is nicely balanced and will be even better as the oak integrates a little more. With good focus and length, this will provide fine drinking over the next five to six years and the score will surely rise.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
