Silkwood Estate The Bowman Pemberton Chardonnay 2019
- 93
- $55
- Drink by: 2021 - 2028
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Put simply, this is the best wine I have seen from Silkwood Estate. Loved it. It also confirms that Margaret River is not the only destination for quality chardonnay in Western Australia.
This comes from a blend of three clones, including the famous Gingin clone (60%) with the rest divided equally between clones 1 and 95. Each was harvested and fermented separately. Fermentation was in a mix of new (40%) and second-year (60%) French oak barriques. 50% wild, 50% inoculated yeasts. The lees were stirred twice a week and the wine spent 8 months in oak.
It opens with classic chardonnay aromas of nuts, oatmeal and grilled cashews with nutmeg-y oak which is well balanced and likely to integrate further over the coming months. Supple, good length and balanced. There are notes of grapefruit pith on the palate. Good focus, good intensity of flavour throughout, and a pleasing mineral background
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.
