2011 Verve Chardonnay

Bright yellow. The nose offers an array of ripe citrus and orchard fruits and flowers, along with suggestions of smoky lees, iodine and fennel. Juicy, sharply focused Meyer lemon and pear skin flavors show a suave blend of richness and vivacity, with a jolt of tangy acidity adding back-end lift. The iodine and citrus fruit notes repeat on a long, nervy finish that leaves a subtle mineral quality behind. This Burgundy lookalike was raised in older oak and did not go through malolactic fermentation.

Racy, cool, well balanced and spreads across the palate. Very clean and bracing. (JR)

18-year-old vines from the family that founded Kooyong and now concentrate on this estate. Struck-match reductive notes on the nose. Very distinctive. Bone dry and with sufficient fruit weight on the mid palate though overall it's very light and fresh, but not too demanding. Very stylish. Green streaks but very subtle. This is hardly ready but is clearly designed for the long term. Lighter and more delicate than most of its Burgundian counterparts. Showing much better than when I first tasted it. (JR)