I'm pretty sure you don't want to read even more tasting notes about budget Australian Chardonnay, but tough biscuit. This one is good, affordable and will also make Al Gore as giddy as a schoolboy.
The tasting note first this time; The Allira Chardonnay 2006 is a delicious, cool climate Chardonnay with citrus and nectarine characters, some vanilla from the oak (about 9 months in barrel) and the creamy textural palate is nicely offset by the citrus and balanced acidity. For $12 it's surprisingly complex, with a nice purity that I've not found at this price point. There, that wasn't too hard, was it?
What makes this wine even more interesting is that the producer, Elgo Estate in Victoria's Strathbogie Ranges, is using sustainable production techniques. Part of the Elgo Estate is apparently located in a naturally windy spot, so they've erected a 150kW wind turbine to power the winery. They're also recycling their waste water and the CO2 that's generated during production.
While my pasty white derrière has gotten blisters from sitting on the climate change fence, it's good to see a producer that actually seems serious about sustainable practices rather merely making a press release sound good.
I've also recently sampled the recent releases of the Allira Shiraz and Cabernet Merlot and they're pretty good too. I have tasting notes somewhere, but I'm too lazy to look.
That's all, I'm off to get intimate with some tofu. Be seeing you
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2 comments:
Actually, a lot of people have bemoaned the lack of quality affordable Chardonnay recently. I would guess you would fall into my camp as to thinking there are quite a few?
Let the word be spread, and Chardonnay prosper in all it different masks and costumes!
Thus spoke jeremy (loses a bit when your name is jeremy, no Zarathrusta!)
Take it easy.
Jeremy, you are indeed a true disciple and it's good to see chardonnay produced at this price point. I have acquired a bottle of the Elgo Estate 2005, still only $23, and look forward to tasting it.
As for Zarathrusta, I can't read anything that I can't pronounce.
Maybe if Nietzsche had written 'Jeremy' instead...?
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