Robert Mondavi Private Selection Bourbon Barrel Chardonnay 2019

There was a time in Australia when many thought that the flavour of oak was what chardonnay tasted like. Pendulums swing and this one has long deemed big and buttery Chardies as persona non grata, or the wine equivalent. That said, there are still many consumers who love the style. Most keep it as their own dirty little secret, but there is no way they’d swap their flavour bombs for those wishy, washy ‘elegant’, dilute offerings. 

And flavour bomb this is. From coastal Californian vineyards and aged in Bourbon whisky barrels (from a “renowned” Kentucky distillery), this is bronze gold in colour. There is oak, as you’d expect. A soft style with stonefruit notes. Orange rinds. Good concentration and weight on the palate. This is a heavier style of chardonnay than many might be used to but very much worth exploring. Drinking now and for three to four years.