A Chardonnay Vertical Tasting
Updated: Feb 15, 2022
Last Friday we conducted a little tasting of our previous Chardonnay vintages.
The occasion? Selecting three vintages for a Chardonnay masterclass organised by the Family of Twelve early in 2014. We will be in some pretty illustrious company with Chardonnay specialists Kumeu River rubbing shoulders with the likes of Ata Rangi, Neudorf, Pegasus Bay and Felton Road.
Since the Cloudy Bay winemaking team happened to have stopped by, we also opened two vintages of the Cloudy Bay Chardonnay we came across in the cellar – a 2004 and a 2009.
Personal favourites from the Nautilus lineup included the flinty, sinewy 2008 and the nervy, mineral 2012. I also particularly enjoyed the 2005, 06 and 10.
Following hot on the heels of the Chardonnay masterclass organised at the Marlborough Wine Weekend recently (see my separate post for more information about that) this tasting really did highlight the awesome quality and consistency of Marlborough Chardonnay – a truly underrated style.
Really enjoyed the idea of comparing Chardonnay vintages side by side. It’s interesting how small differences in age and winemaking can change the whole tasting experience. Reading this reminded me of trying different runs in space waves unblocked, where small changes can make a big difference!