Scotchmans Hill Chardonnay 2006

Scotchmans Hill Chardonnay 2006 (Geelong, Vic)
Screwcap, $25

They are a bit forgotten out there on the Bellarine Peninsula, but its a lovely part of the world and well worth a visit if you ever choose the cheap seats and fly in to Melbourne’s Avalon airport. The Pinot and the Chardonnay have usually been the flagbearers here, but the odd Shiraz has showed up well too. Kudos also to the very comprehensive back labels which list all sorts of lovely details.

Bright straw yellow in colour, this has a nose that reeks of winemaking edifice – Tight, aromatic vanilla oak, slightly cheesy lees and a little brassy bottle age. Its not a bad nose, but its a little old school and worked. The palate though is much more impressive, with a carefully measured mix of vanilla bean oak, leesy funk and maturing white peach fruit, the package kept tight by soft acidity.

So all in all this is quite a well made, if a little advanced, modern Chardonnay at a very fair price. 17.2