Shadowfax, Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills

Singapore Airlines - Business & Lounges; 6/22/2015-6/26/2015 (Sydney, Singapore, Frankfurt) : {screwcap, 13%} From Geelong and Heathcote. All nuts and figs on the medium-intensity nose. Grapefruit, nut and cedary oak flavours comprise the medium-bodied palate. It’s pretty austere on the whole, not with much charm at all, but has some power instead, leading to good mid-palate weight and a dry, medium-length finish. Hard to get the serving temperature right given the oak and reserved nature of the wine; warm it’s …

Christmas '05 in Australia; 12/8/2005-12/27/2005 (Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne and Gold Coast) : Oaky nose with little fruit. Crisp acidic finish, fruit's gone.

THis is cobbled together with fruit mostly from Victoria, with a one third Adelaide Hills contribution. Mid-straw in colour, the primary aromas are of nuts, grapefruit, stones and some fine French oak. There's good palate coverage, though the remains oak is in the foreground, despite its quality. With fine acid and a moderately long finish, this is a very good modern chardonnay which will benefit from at least a couple of years in the cellar.