A wine from the Yarra Valley in Australia, but certainly of interest to readers here, due to Lorraine and Warren making their Bilancia wines in Hawke’s Bay. A vibrant pale gold colour in the glass – with not much sign of this wine being eleven years old. The bouquet is intense but clean and fresh – you could almost say youthful in its exhuberance. White peach, apple, ginger, almond and lemon peel, with a touch of fresh hay. The acidity carries the palate, with a chalky minerality and a hint of fruit tannin all taking this well beyond just juice and into a complex and well-balanced expression of modern Australian Chardonnay. The finish has great length and harmony. 94pts
Leheny Gibson Chardonnay 2014
