Devil’s Lair Dance with the Devil Chardonnay 2020
- 93
- $25
- Drink by: 2021-2025
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This winery has really turned its focus to Margaret River Chardonnay in a serious way, with wines representing everyday drinking and then every level right up to those which sit with the very best of the region. The common thread is really impressive quality right through the range. This wine was fermented in an even split of new and then one and two-year-old French barriques. It was on lees for eight months, stirred regularly, before it was bottled.
The colour is a pristine green gold. The nose offers lovely complex Chardonnay characters with cashews, stone fruit, grilled nuts, citrus, peach stone notes and wood smoke. Quite intense, this is a fuller-flavoured style, with richness throughout. Seamless and an enticing texture, good acidity and very good length. This is quite delicious now, but it will go for another couple of years if you prefer.
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.
