WOW - Tasmania, home of the cool climate and all things special. Frogmore Creek are doing some pretty spiffy, 'out there' stuff, and this chardy is a ripper! Aromas of white stone fruits, grapefruit, nuttiness and a touch of savoury funk rise from the glass, whilst the palate is lighter-bodied, taut and pristine, with nectorine and citrus flavours, a lush creamy texture, zippy acidity, and a long, lingering, peaches and cream finish. Stick it in the cellar for a few more years, or crack it tonight with a creamy chicken pie.
You will often hear people these days talking Chardonnay up and this is the reason why! Beautiful, mouth filling, bountiful flavours, just waiting to tantalise your taste buds all over.
Accolades and Awards:
93 Points - James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion "Grown in the Coal River Valley; barrel-fermented and kept on lees for 10 months. Has excellent length, texture and balance, equi-poised between grapefruit and white peach, acidity a positive contributor."
2011 Vintage: 96 Points - James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion "Bright straw-green; a seductive and delicious wine that fills and caresses the mouth in way that is not in the Tasmanian mainstream, thanks to the absence of strident acidity. There is a creamy/nutty aspect to the white peach fruit from the barrel fermentation that adds to the expression of that fruit on the long, fine palate."
Campbell Mattinson. The Winefront.: 94 Nothing under-ripe or under-done about this chardonnay from Frogmore Creek. The 2011 season was cool in southern Tasmania, pushing out picking dates, but they were largely spared the rain troubles of more northern regions. Lots to like here. Sweet, juicy fruit but well-integrated line and length too. Citrus, grapefruit and tropical fruit. Sweet pear perhaps. Beautiful warm brown bread aromatics. Terrifically, effortlessly long. Nothing show-offy about it. Lisp of spicy/creamy oak. Should be even better in a couple of year’s time
From the Winery:
Frogmore Creek is a Pacific Rim joint venture, the owners being Tony Scherer of Tasmania and Jack Kidwiler of California. The business has grown very substantially, first establishing its own organically managed vineyard, and thereafter by a series of acquisitions. First was the purchase of the Hood/Wellington Wines business previously owned by Andrew Hood; next was the purchase of the large Roslyn Vineyard near Campania; and finally (in Oct 2010) the acquisition of Meadowbank Estate, where the cellar door is now located. In Dec 12 the original Frogmore Creek vineyard was sold to Hill-Smith Family Vineyards.
Don't Pay: $32.00
WBW Rating: 94/100
Closure: Stelvin
Region: Coal River Valley, TAS