Pepper Tree Venus Block Orange Chardonnay 2014

From a vineyard at 800m altitude and a very cool year in Orange.

Straw green in colour, there is biscuity barrel ferment richness on the nose, over a surprisingly plump and soft edged palate. For such low alcohol I was expecting this to be more bracing and honed, but the edges are dipped in caramel sauce oak and the finish soft and generous. This provides a solid mouthful of flavour, but is still short, a bit forward and lacking in bite. Best drinking: 2015-2018. 16.8/20, 89/100.

Details: 12.5%, Screwcap, $35, Sample.
Would I buy it? No.
Buy online: Pepper Tree website

Wine

About me – Andrew Graham

At 18 I started working in a small suburban bottleshop, largely to buy cheap beer. It was my first year of university, doing a degree that I didn't really like, and a liquor shop seemed like fun. Needless to say I discovered wine, my uni degree morphed into something completely different and wine/beer took over my life.

Almost twenty years later and I currently spend my days wearing many (wine) hats, mostly as a writer, presenter and marketer.

While wearing my writer cap I write features for the likes of National Liquor News, Gourmet Traveller WINE and the RAS plus I'm a Lifestyle FOOD channel wine expert. Read more about me here or get in touch to book your next wine event with me here.

Pepper Tree Venus Block Orange Chardonnay 2014