Forrest Estate Chardonnay 2022
- 93
- $40
- Drink by: 2024-2030
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The juice here, from both the Wairau River Valley and the Southern Valleys vineyard in Marlborough, was split between new and older oak barriques, with high solids for ferment and malolactic fermentation, before a ten-month period of maturation. Even from ground zero for the world’s great Savvys (okay, the Loire might have a say in this), for me, this is yet more confirmation that New Zealand’s top white is Chardonnay. A gleaming yellow, the nose is beautifully fragrant with notes of lemons, cashews, figs, quality oak, white peaches and citrus. Excellent balance and very good focus, a linear style. The palate sees a hint of oatmeal emerge, along with mandarin notes. A lingering finish, enjoy this over 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.
