Marchand & Burch Village Chardonnay 2025
- 94
- $50
- Drink by: 2026-2034
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Another superb vintage for the Great Southern region, the fruit for this wine comes from the team’s Mount Barrow Vineyard in the Mount Barker sub-region, which sits at an elevation of 380 metres above sea level. The vineyard includes a range of French and American clones. The fruit is whole bunch pressed and native yeasts are used for fermentation, which takes place in French oak. Maturation is in stainless steel, but there is the use of oak “influence” in the interests of texture and complexity. This is a cracker. A lemon/lime hue, this is intense and yet elegant, offering coiled power while at all times remaining balanced and refined. There is the barest hint of oak evident. The nose does reveal aromas of stone fruits, ginger, gentle hints of peaches, cashews and lemongrass and there is a minerally backing in place. Fresh with bright acidity, this is quite impressive. It will continue to provide pleasure for the next 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.
