There is so much Chardonnay in bottle shops ready for immediate drinking, which is not a bad thing and not unexpected. However, it is quite unusual to release an aged Chardonnay into the wine drinking world, for two reasons I think.
Firstly and sadly, from my conversations with punters, Chardonnay doesn’t seem to be the ‘go-to’ white wine these days so, aged Chardonnay will probably be less so.
Secondly, aged Chardonnay is so unappreciated and under-appreciated. I’m not saying all Chardonnays will do well with some age but those that do provide the drinker with some intriguing and thought provoking complexities. This lovely Stockman’s Ridge aged Chardonnay does just that.
Region: Orange, NSW Price: $40 Source: Sample thanks kindly to Stockman’s Ridge and Define Wine
It still looks youthful in the glass and, on taking in the aromas, apart from the stone-fruit characters, there is a slight citrusy note that tells me there is still some acidity hanging around which got me excited.
The palate sits close to the medium bodied range, however, this one has the crispness and subtle citrus like acidity giving balance to that medium bodied-ness. It maintains the varietal characters expected from a cool climate Chardonnay while providing a good level of interest thanks to the 6 years bottle age.
I enjoyed trying this wine, but I think it is probably sitting in the ‘don’t put me in the cellar, put me in the fridge and drink me’ zone. Definitely work seeking out and very well priced for an aged Chardonnay.
Words from a Wine Glass 