Clonakilla Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2023
- 93
- $45
- Drink by: 2024-2030
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Not all of the Clonakilla wines hail from the Canberra district. For Chardonnay, they have sourced fruit from the increasingly impressive Tumbarumba region, 700 metres above sea level. The grapes were whole bunch pressed into French oak puncheons, 30% new, and later spent eleven months on unstirred lees. Gleaming pale yellow, this is an ideal Chardy for those who prefer the leaner and more elegant end of the spectrum, yet the intensity never wavers. Gentle stone fruits and citrus, a hint of cashews and florals with grapefruit working with oatmeal notes. This is finely interwoven to give a wine of length and balance. Drink now and for the next four to six years.
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.
