Coates The Chardonnay 2023

Description

Duane Coates is one of the quiet achievers of the Australian Wine Scene (Masters in Oenology and an MBA from Adelaide University & soon to become a Master of Wine). His winemaking philosophy is simple: the highest quality fruit from sustainable vineyards (some organic), harvest when properly ripe and a natural winemaking approach (minimal intervention – wild yeasts, unfined, no additions of tannin, enzyme and acid).

Huon Hooke said: “Every wine I’ve tasted of McLaren Vale’s Duane Coates has been excellent…” Highly impressive wines – a style that bridges the gap between fruit driven Australian style and savoury complex wines of old world Europe.” Lisa Perrotti-Brown, from leading international website erobertparker.com said – “..a breath of fresh air in this area where a lot of producers seem to be following the herd down that incredibly ripe and sometimes over-ripe path that has caused not a few producers to come unstuck in heat-wave and drought conditions. These are superbly-crafted, well-priced wines that are wholeheartedly recommended’.

About this wine from the winemaker: “Coates Adelaide Hills Chardonnay has been an ongoing staple of the range since 2009. This wine has always been a Reserve style with 15+ months oak ageing in a high proportion of new barrels. In 2015 we decided to make two Chardonnay styles; the traditional style which is now The Reserve Chardonnay, and The Chardonnay.

“The Chardonnay is a single vineyard Adelaide Hills wine that sees a shorter maturation time in barrel (11 months), and lower percentage of new oak than The Reserve. The fruit is taken in two hand picks to get a zesty note and taut acidity with the later picked grapes adding mid palate weight and depth. With two vintages in Burgundy, Duane’s winemaking is traditional French in outlook with The Chardonnay 2023 showing some leaning towards modernist Burgundy in style.

“Our winemaking style is traditional with a gentle bag press of the grapes to yield the softest fruit characters. The Chardonnay was hand picked and gently pressed then the juice rested in tank to cold settle. The juice was natural yeast fermented with fine solids in new (30%) and second/third use (70%) barriques from the Dargaud & Jaegle, Chassin and Nadalie cooperages then aged on lees. Malo was allowed to proceed, and the wine was matured with minimal battonage. Bottled unfined and unfiltered in March 2024. The Chardonnay is a tight, structured style and will be best from 2025 and drinking well until 2033.”

This 2023 is super smart offering from a cool, quality albeit very low yielding season (minuscule 200 dozen made) and decision was made to declassify Reserve Chardonnay fruit into this fine Cuvee that bolsters it up a notch and steps it up on the 2022 and 2021 reviewed below. Such low yields not enough to go around to send samples to wine scribes for reviews. Wow, serious pedigree and value on offer here!

Reviews for last release in 2021: 95 points, Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday’s Wine Companion “A fine, long-focussed lens on classy domestic chardonnay. The meld of nougat lees, vanillin oak and pithy glazed stone fruits, finely tuned. Praline, quinine, orange verbena and toasted cashew, too. The finish, precise, measured and extremely long. This stands to go the distance.”

93 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front  “Ye olde Adelaide Hills and a great producer with a light touch but lots of smarts. Zesty number. Flint and warm steel, slate and green apple, a good dose of lemony citrus zest and faint ginger, twiggy wood characters. Feels well seasoned but balanced too. Lots of flavour, lots of texture, vitality and freshness in the mix. Complex without being flashy. This is a really delightful chardonnay.”

RRP $49  *Our Special Price $37.50 when you buy 6 or more of this wine*