I'm a fan of the Macedon Ranges where the uber-wonderful Curly Flat heralds from and another delicious, but perhaps less well known example is the Lanes End Chardonnay 2005.
I actually first tasted this a few months ago against the Curly Flat and a Yabby Lake, and even although it's almost half the price, it really held it's own against its more pricey competitors. I think it falls into Halliday's category of the 'modern Australian' chardonnay of being somewhere between a Chablis and a Burgundy. The Lanes End has lovely citrus and nectarine, cashew nuts and a great weight and balance. It's tight, with controlled oak and has great persistence that should develop over the next couple of years.
I've spoken before about having a bias toward small, independently owned wineries and Lane's End are probably a good example of this; production is limited, they focus on a small number of varieties and believe that great wine starts in the vineyard. They also practically dry grow, so there's even more to commend them. They also respond to The Stars emails and are nice to us, which is always a good thing.
The Macedon Ranges Budburst Festival is on the 08/09 November where they, and other wineries in the region, open their doors. Well worth a visit.
The Lanes End costs around $28 and is available from the winery or King & Godfree on Lygon Street.
Be seeing you and have a good weekend.
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4 comments:
Hi Rawshack. Chardonnay is a most noble wine and anyone who says they don't drink it confuse me. Which of the hundreds of very different styles do they not like?!!
Interesting on 10xTractor. They had sold out of their barrel fermented sav/blanc when I was there last. Maybe even if it sells faster than the chardonnay they are committed to chardonnay plantings and hooray for them. Did you try the Wallis yet by any chance? cheers jeremy ps-will have to ckeck out Lanes end.
Hi Jeremy
Completely agree about the chardonnay comments- what confuses me even more is that if you give said people a chablis or a burgundy then they'll lap it up
I did try the 2006 Wallis at the Pinot night last week, and it was delicious - I've started the report should hopefully have it up soon :)
I know that like me you're a huge CF fan, so give the Lanes End a go - I'd be interested to see what you think
With a great deal of pride and conviction I can assertively say that I love a good Chardonnay (which is a bit ironic since I'm posting this comment identifying myself as 'anonymous'! I'll sort that out when I work out how to give myself an identity.....maybe I'll just stick with 'anonymous' as I'm too embarrassed to make myself known due to my inability to follow simple instructions).
Thank God I like chardonnay! The thought of being made into chardonnay gulag is just a little bit scary.
I think the problem here is that a few of us drank way too much Chardy (think Cath and Kim) in the '90's. Luckily I have come back to it with a renewed vigour and more discerning palate. Ha ha.
Hmmm, I might even bring over a very nice bottle next weekend for the rather auspicious first birthday occasion of my favourite little man.
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