Hirsch Hill Reserve Chardonnay 2024
- 93
- $50
- Drink by: 2025-2033
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The Toolangi sub-region in the Yarra Valley is one of the most highly regarded, offering excellent Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. This latest Chardonnay comes from grapes grown in the team’s best vineyard in that sub-region. Fermentation and maturation is in large format French oak. The wine does not undergo malolactic fermentation and the final blend comes from five puncheons, which made the grade. An attractive lemon hue, the nose exhibits notes of citrus and white peach, with a gentle hint of cashews from the oak involvement. This is elegant, refined, a slightly leaner style than some, but it offers excellent focus and drive and there is a minerally support system lurking in the background. There are hints of grapefruit and melon which emerge after time in the glass. Very good length here, this is a well-balanced Chardy certain to give pleasure over the next four to eight 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.
