Coldstream Hills Deer Farm Chardonnay 2020
- 94
- $45
- Drink by: 2021-2029
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A single vineyard Chardonnay from this prized Upper Yarra gem. It was Halliday himself who first started the tradition of single vineyard wines at Coldstream Hills, no doubt inspired by his great love for top Burgundies. This is actually from a small sector of the vineyard – specifically, the Gladysdale Blocks: C East & E Vines, which were planted in 1994 with Clone: I10V1. The blocks are south and north facing respectively. This Chardonnay was fermented and then matured on lees for a period of nine months in French oak, 52% of which was new. The remaining 48% was in seasoned barriques and puncheons.
Green gold colour here. It is immediately apparent that this wine has the DNA of both the Yarra Valley (Upper) and of Coldstream Hills itself. Good concentration of peach and stonefruit, juicy citrus notes, with citrusy acidity. There is more intensity here than in the standard Yarra bottling but it remains understated, giving us a wine of elegance, focus and class. There is ideal oak integration, seamless in style and with excellent fruit persistence; there is much to like here. A Chardonnay that will easily cellar and improve for the next 6 to 8 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.
