Tower Hunter Chardonnay

Tower Estate Chardonnay 2010 (Hunter Valley, NSW)
13%, Screwcap, $30
Source: Sample
www.towerestate.com

Mostly sourced from the Eagles Nest Vineyard and the Coombe vineyard, both of which are on sandy soils and are now 35+ years old. It’s going to be interesting to see what becomes of the Tower Estate wine business now….

A reasonably generous and open sort of Hunter Chardonnay this one, though still with more in the tank. it looks quite both open and reserved (like many modern Hunter Chards do) with pineapple fruit richness and mealy, expensive, cream French oak. That nose suggests warm climate fruit picked early (and deftly) enough to retain freshness. Good start. The palate is a little looser than the nose, all pine-lime Splice oak and fruit with creamy edges and a generous middle, finishing reasonably tight and well spoken.

Ultimately a pleasant wine if hardly earth shattering, I’d personally be waiting for a little bottle age to see if shattering may occur before consuming. 17.3/90+