Lake Road Reserve Chardonnay 2022

Barrel fermentation and malolactic fermentation. Matured in 25% new French oak. The 2022 shows corn kernels, yellow apples and summer peaches. Honeyed toast, lemon curd and puff pastry. There is even matched ripeness of fruit and some underlying bitter tones that offset the rounded mid palate. Hazelnut, fennel and toasted cumin spice. If you are after a wine that over delivers with plump Chardonnay fruit flavours and toasty oak, this will not fail you. It’s a basket of baked edibles, with a chai spice finish that leaves you contemplating the next glass. Drink now with a cheesy cauliflower gratin.

Shanteh Wale

Contributor at Wine Companion

Shanteh cut her teeth at Sydney’s Award-Winning Quay restaurant where she worked for over a decade and was Head Sommelier from 2018 till 2022. She has been nominated for the Good Food Guide Sommelier of the Year award on three occasions and claims that her experience as a Len Evans scholar as one of the highlights of her career. Shanteh hosts her own weekly podcast ‘Over A Glass’ with the Deep in the Weeds Network and spends her time writing for various publications and judging at numerous wine shows across the country.

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