Hoddles Creek Chardonnay 2007 (Hoddles Creek, Upper Yarra Valley, Vic)
$19, Screwcap
$19, Screwcap
I'd almost call this a cult wine these days - cult thanks to its brilliant price vs quality equation. I've seen this around the place at $18 a bottle and geez its hard to argue with the package. Best advised to just join the queue and buy a bottle. For my palate, I still prefer the 06 vintage, but I think this has still got plenty of improvement to go.A very light yellow colour, the nose has white peach (hard peaches, not too ripe, there are plenty of those available on the shelves at the moment. I love the stonefruit season) and coconut/hay/straw oak. The oak is a little sawdusty and dominant for me at present, though it should integrate with time. The palate follows this with more peach, coconut oak and prominent acidity, the tail end long and well balanced, the flavour profile delicate and eminently drinkable.
So, again, this is a very likable, impressively drinkable, light on its feet, new age Chardonnay. I like the acidity, the freshness and delicacy. I'm not a fan of the slightly soupy, mousy oak, but this should integrate with time. Class and value. 17.3+
2009/10 WCA Wine Journalism 'Young Gun; Wine Judge; Gourmet Traveller WINE and Breathe Hunter Valley magazine contributor; LattéLife columnist; National Liquor News Tasting Panellist, WBM Coolest Wine Tweeter of 2010 and Riesling lover who fell into the liquor industry chiefly to buy cheap beer.
There's no new oak in in Junior - all old oak.
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Thanks big fella - that makes sense, the oak didn't taste new, but there was something oaky poking out there - like a teaspoon of sawdust poured in the bottle. I reckon it will integrate in with some more time in the bottle regardless.
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