Description
Garagiste is definitely one of Mornington Peninsula’s brightest stars! Named in honour of the ‘Garagiste’ – ‘garage’ vintners of Bordeaux who thumbed their nose at the rigid traditions of chateaux, winemaker Barney Flanders makes succulent, finely tuned and elegantly crafted cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris,highlighting the subtleties of the Peninsula’s different sub-regions with small batches of very limited and high quality wines. Fruit is sourced predominantly from highly prized Merricks Grove vineyard, Silverwood vineyard (Balnarring) and Hugh Robinson vineyard in Moorooduc. Since their first release in 2006 their wines are highly sought after, highly regarded and like their labels, very cool!
The Merricks Chardonnay, from 28-year-old vines on soils of grey loams and red ferrosols on south- and southeast-facing slopes, was harvested and sorted by hand before being pressed as bunches. Fermentation was spontaneous with high levels of solids in 500-litre François Frères puncheons. A small portion went through natural malolactic fermentation, and the wine rested in large-format barrels (15% new) on full gross lees for 10 months before bottling. Barney seeks long, slow lees interaction, choosing extended, gentle contact over stirring, a process writ large in the supple, integrated texture of his recent releases.
This is a home run: pithy, punchy and pure with serious revs under the bonnet. Expect stone fruits, juicy citrus and well-pitched richness allied to deliciously chewy texture, spine-tingling acidity and big, fleshy presence. As always, a Chardonnay of pedigree, class and substance, and a high-water mark for Garagiste’s Chardonnay.
96 points, Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion“Now this has all the right moves, well flavour anyway. Meyer lemon and grapefruit and flinty sulphides. Cedary, spicy oak adds flavour not weight while creamy, luscious lees expand across the palate, adding a moreish note. Then superfine acidity comes in to steal the show. Such a good drink.”
96 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front “My word, this wine sizzles. Grapefruit, lemon and lime rind, nectarine, almond meal, a little struck match and spice. It’s saline and savoury, yes, with a little umami goodness, but also has a bright core of mixed citrus and stone fruits on the cusp of ripeness. It’s chalky and flinty, and in particular, the length of it is outstanding, closing with a little quinine bite. Well butter me both sides Barney, this is a beauty.”
RRP $59 Our Special Price $46.50 when you buy 6 or more of this wine.
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