Nautilus Chardonnay 2023
- 93
- $36
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Barrel fermented in French oak (20% new), this is a finely pitched Chardonnay for those who enjoy nutty, flinty complexity with freshness at its core. Some stubborn struck-match reduction opens, but eases with air into aromas of preserved lemon, cashew cream, grilled nectarine, peach skin and toasted almond. The palate is creamy and dense, wrapping citrus preserves, flint, nectarine, pear and almond meal in a gently toasty frame. There’s some phenolic chew for textural grip, and a well-timed surge of acidity that lifts and cleanses the finish. Polished, complex and characterful—this offers serious value at $36.
Tom Kline is a wine writer, reviewer, presenter, and educator based in Victoria, Australia. He is the Australian correspondent for the internationally respected publications Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy and Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux, where he highlights the top tier of Australian wine for a global audience. Tom also writes for leading outlets including Decanter (UK), Wine Spectator (US), and Halliday Magazine, among others. An experienced wine show judge and WSET educator, he has authored several consumer-focused wine courses aimed at making wine more accessible and engaging. In 2023, Tom was awarded Best Published Feature Article or Wine Column at the prestigious Wine Communicator Awards, presented by Wine Communicators of Australia.
