Geoff Merrill Reserve Chardonnay 2022
- 93
- $40
- Drink by: 2025-2030
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The blend here is 53% McLaren Vale fruit, with the remaining 47% from Coonawarra. It is a barrel selection from the best of the two regions and, after blending, the wine returns to new French oak for maturation for a year. Quite a deep yellow hue, this reflects the big and bold style of Chardy one might expect from these regions. It is chock full of flavour with peaches and cashew nuts, which give it some oak influence but it is melding well. There are some tropical flavours evident as well, again the mango and rockmelon though a little more refined here. Supple texture, good force and decent length. Good for anytime, though peaking in three to five 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.
