2021 Combes What's Beneath Chardonnay

94 pts
Saline, mineral-driven single-vineyard Chardonnay from the Yarra Valley.
4.0
Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars
1 Review

Price:
Sale price$42.00
Stock:
Sold out
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Description

Here's an electric Chardonnay from a rising star of the Yarra Valley.

Winemaker Oscar Hermann sees the Cordillera Vineyard in the Upper Yarra as one of the great places to grow Chardonnay in the region, where flint and mineral characters are derived from the red and grey volcanic clay soils.

There is a beautiful shape to this wine. It's fine but full flavoured, supremely detailed in it's white peach through the savoury/saline falvour profile.

It's got length, drive, focus - all the beautiful things about Chardonnay grown in a cool climate.

94 Points
"Sheesh, this is good. It’s so saline and savoury, honey glazed nuts spiked with lemongrass, ginger and a huge slosh of green apple juice. A nod to Jura, perhaps, my mind wanders to those dry palominos of Spain, though, or maybe the Luis Seabra whites from Portugal that take on sea spray and oyster shell minerality by the bucket load. There’s volume here too, concentration, definition, squeakiness to texture. Proper stuff, proper depth and complexity. Ripper chardonnay, that no matter where you look for references to, marches to its own beat with confidence."
- Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)

94 Points - "Sheesh, this is good. It’s so saline and savoury, honey glazed nuts spiked with lemongrass, ginger and a huge slosh of green apple juice. A nod to Jura, perhaps, my mind wanders to those dry palominos of Spain, though, or maybe the Luis Seabra whites from Portugal that take on sea spray and oyster shell minerality by the bucket load. There’s volume here too, concentration, definition, squeakiness to texture. Proper stuff, proper depth and complexity. Ripper chardonnay, that no matter where you look for references to, marches to its own beat with confidence." - Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)

Customer Reviews

4.0
Rated 4.0 out of 5 stars
Based on 1 review
Total 5 star reviews: 0 Total 4 star reviews: 1 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0
1 review
  • NL
    Nick L.
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    4 years ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    Reviewing
    2019 Combes What's Beneath Chardonnay
    Rated 4 out of 5 stars
    Gorgeous drop

    A satisfyingly complex number with just the right amount of fruit and acidity in the picture with a saline, mineral touch. Delightful for an autumn night.

From the Cordillera Vineyard is (mostly) dry-grown on deep, red and grey volcanic clay loam at around 300m elevation, rolling steeply downhill. Planted to predominantly clone 96. This site I believe is all about flint and minerality, being in the upper tear of the Yarra this site stays cool at night allowing a slow ripening season even in 2019. The wine was all whole bunch pressed to tank, free run and pressing kept separate. Wildly fermented in a combination of old netural barrique and hogs heads. Partial malo (50%), 8 months on gross lees before being in early december minimal sulfur added.

Price Bracket $41 to $50
Type White
Body Full Bodied
Variety Chardonnay
Country Australia
Region Yarra Valley
Australian State VIC
Critic Score 94
Alcohol 12%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2021
Closure Cork

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