Marchand & Burch Mt Barrow Chardonnay 2024
- 95
- $90
- Drink by: 2025-2040
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This wine has been known as their Mount Barker Chardonnay in the past, but they have become a little more specific these days, as the vines providing the fruit sit around 380 metres above sea level in their Mount Barrow Vineyard. Needless to say, that is rather lofty for Western Australia. Among the clones used is the legendary Gin Gin clone. Maturation is in new French oak for around nine months. A gleaming yellow in colour, the nose reveals notes of lemon pith, florals, flint, grapefruit, lemon curd, peaches, oatmeal, lemongrass and glacéd orange rinds. Hints of wet slate emerge towards the finish. Exhibiting excellent oak integration, this is a wine of great intensity, which is pristine and focused with serious length. Should be a smash hit for at least the next ten to fifteen 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.
