Provenance Wines Ballarat Chardonnay 2017
- 95
- $65
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From the windswept Sinclair Vineyard in Scotsburn, this was handpicked and whole bunch pressed before wild fermentation in French oak puncheons and barriques, 28% of which was new. 2017 was a cool year in an already very cool region, resulting in a good frame for the slow development of complexity over seven years. This complexity is on show from the outset aromatically, with lemon preserves, chalk, cheesecloth, lemon wax, and citrus salt leaping out of the glass, followed by button mushroom and a touch of honeysuckle. The palate holds a mouth-filling, chalky texture and brilliant intensity with sweet pops of nettle honey, cheese rind, button mushroom, preserved lemon and honeysuckle notes mirroring the nose. Vibrancy abounds through the palate, with the nettle notes permeating the mouth-perfume and the chalk, cheesecloth and subtle honey notes pulling to gentle length thanks to an impressive acid line. This is a delicious and complex example of aged Victorian Chardonnay.
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.
