Wills Domain Cuvee d’Elevage Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir NV
- 90
- $45
- Drink by: 2022-2027
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Margaret River is world famous for some amazing wines, but sparklers are not usually associated with this distant paradise. If they keep doing things like this, that might change. This is made by whole-bunch pressing the grapes, so the juice is as pure as they can get it. The aim here is elegance.
Chardonnay sourced from Yallingup, and Pinot Noir from Karridale in the south of Margaret River; both parcels were hand -picked in the cool of the early morning, with whole bunch pressing to preserve the delicate varietal flavours and minimize the phenolic pick up from the skins. Following fermentation, the wines were blended and stabilized immediately and tiraged to preserve their freshness.
Very pale lemon in colour. The nose is immediately pleasing with citrus notes, spices and hints of icing sugar weaving throughout the aromas on offer. The flavours are very much upfront. Ripe stonefruit and citrus with bright lemony acidity plus hints of dried herbs, good focus and medium length. Drink this attractive sparkler now and for at least five 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.
