Riposte The Katana Chardonnay Adelaide Hills 2025
- 93
- $30
- Drink by: 2026-2034
Share
Excellent value for a quality Adelaide Hills Chardonnay, the fruit comes from a vineyard in the Kenton Valley sub-region. Fermentation is in French oak barrels, and includes a percentage of native yeasts (50%). 25% of the barrels were new. Maturation was on yeast lees. A straw/lemon hue, the nose reveals an array of tropical aromas, including mangoes and bananas, alongside peaches, as well as gentle and pleasing subdued nutty notes. The wine is well balanced, focused and intense. The finish is very much dominated by passionfruit notes. A Chardonnay which is bright and fresh and yet serious. It should certainly drink well over the next five to 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.
