Coates The Reserve Chardonnay 2022

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’.

From the winemaker: “In 2015 a decision was made to produce two distinct Chardonnay wines from the same block; (The Chardonnay) and a Reserve style with longer oak ageing, a higher proportion of new oak and two picking passes. Our seventh release, from 2022, refines the style. The fruit is sourced from a single vineyard block in the Kuitpo region of the Adelaide Hills (where the Coates winery based). A cool climate location ensures that the grapes have an elegance of flavour and good natural acidity that we seek to preserve in the finished wine. The Reserve Chardonnay uses hand picked fruit from two harvest times; an earlier pick to maintain a taut acid backbone and minerality with a later pick to capture subtle tropical fruit and riper stone fruit characters.

“Our winemaking style is traditional with a gentle enclosed bag pressing of the fruit with a 550/L tonne extraction. As a small winery, we have gone to the expense of purchasing our own new 3000L Puleo enclosed tank press to provide control over the pressing and oxidation of the white juice during vintage. The Chardonnay juice was natural yeast fermented with fine solids in new (60%) and second use (40%) barriques from the Dargaud & Jaegle, Nadalie and Chassin cooperages then aged on lees without racking for sixteen months. Malo was allowed to proceed, and the wine was matured with minimal battonage. Blended and bottled unfined and unfiltered in August of 2023. The Adelaide Hills Chardonnay is a tight, structured style and will be best from 2024 and drinking well until 2032.

“Mid straw in colour with a hint of green to the hue. Elegant aromas showcase citrus fruits in the company of fragrant notes of pineapple and guava; accents of spice and toast add to the complexity. The palate is in the medium-bodied in style, an initial burst of lemon and white peach flavours is followed by savoury oak and hints of brioche and shortbread. A lingering length of persistence supported by a taut acid backbone.”

Reviews for 2021 .. 96 points, Ned Goodwin MW for Halliday Wine Companion “It is incredible to think that this wine is among the more expensive cuvées at this stellar address (rightly so, by the way) and yet there are wines twice this price that barely nudge the quality on show here. Lees-derived aromas of roasted hazelnut, curry powder and dried straw. Creamed cashew, sexy oak vanillins, nougatine and stone fruit allusions aplenty. The oak, a perceivable framework, albeit, nicely judged in lieu of a mid-term ageing window. In five to eight years, this will unravel into a masterpiece.”

94 points, Mike Bennie, The Wine Front “Duane Coates MW is a bit of a legend and flies a bit too much under the radar, with most of his wine reminding me I should see the wines more. Anyway, this is the fancy chard. Lovely stuff. Toasty, plush, with lots of ripe stone fruit, ripe apple, vanilla and nougat. It’s quite nutty too, a savouriness underplayed but there in this mix. Concentrated but with liveliness, a coolness, and great length and a fine finish. It feels super fancy, very good to drink, albeit you’re in bigger chardy zones. Great to see.”

RRP $64  Our Price $49.99 – last of this vintage!