Eight at the Gate Wrattonbully Sparkling Blanc NV
- 89
- $30
- Drink by: 2022-2024
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An intriguing wine as the team have combined three discrete clones of Chardonnay for this blanc de blancs style. For me, if you make a blanc de blancs, then you need to ensure at least a degree of elegance. Would Wrattonbully be able to provide that? It certainly has, but there is more. There is a real exuberance here. Pale lemon in colour, there are soft floral notes, with some citrus, notably gentle lemon touches, with a chalky backing. Quite tight and focused, the finish morphs into lemon meringue with decent length. Drink over the next year or two.
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.
