Kooyong Faultline Chardonnay 2020
- 96
- $60
- Drink by: 2022-2030
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Far too many winelovers do not give the Mornington Peninsula its just recognition. Few regions in Australia can constantly produce such thrilling Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on such a regular basis. If you doubt me, look to what these guys offer year after year. And definitely look to this wine. Now, sixty bucks for a bottle of Chardy is going to cause quite a few winelovers to pause for a moment, but I would suggest that they compare this wine with what you might find in Burgundy or Chablis for that amount. Every chance that this wine will leave these famous regions in its dust. It is a stunner.
It hails from a discrete block, just half a hectare of 24-year-old vines, found in the Faultline Vineyard. This vineyard is more deep clay than the ironstone found in some of their other top sites. The grapes are whole-bunch pressed into French oak barriques (20% of which were new). Wild yeasts for fermentation and then eleven months on lees (sans bâtonnage). A single racking prior to bottling, which takes place without fining and with minimal filtration.
Pale green/yellow in colour, this is intense and richly flavoured (the team put this down to the clay component of the soil), yet it retains elegance. We have notes of cashews, stonefruit, peaches, mandarins and the merest whiff of quality honey. The oak is immaculately matched to the fruit. A supple texture with pinpoint balance, this is a complete wine. There is great length and, while utterly compelling now, it will age and improve for at least 8 years. A brilliant Chardonnay. To me, it is reminiscent of a fine Grand Cru Chablis and good luck finding one of those for $60
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.
