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St. Andrews

Chardonnay 2016

Silky textured with exceptional length and flavours of peach, nectarine and subtle cashew nuances from quality French oak.

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Previous Vintages 2013, 2014, 2015
Region Clare Valley
Colour At release, the wine is a youthful pale straw colour with vibrant green hue to the edges.
Nose The wine has ripe white peach aromas along with hints of tropical fruit and subtle creamy oak. Enticing sweet spice and savoury cashew nut from the French oak add complexity to the bouquet.
Vintage Conditions In the Clare Valley, rainfall was below average for the season leading up to vintage 2016 but it was not the amount that had the biggest impact; it was the timing. Mother Nature saw fit to dole out just the right amount of water at just the right time for maximum positive impact. In fact, this was just one of the factors at play when it comes to the vintage being lauded as one of the greats. Firstly, the vines were stress free heading into the winter period, creating the potential for a superior crop. Secondly, conditions were ideal during flowering and then lastly, the threat of frost did not eventuate. All these conditions combined to create what can be described as the perfect vintage.
Oak Maturation The oak regime employed for this wine is 80% new & 20% 1 year old French oak (tight-grained which is air seasoned for 3 years), sourced from Louis Latour, a specialist Burgundian supplier. After 10 months of oak maturation, then minimal fining and filtration, the wine was bottled.
Cellaring Notes Crafted for immediate enjoyment but will cellar over a medium term under ideal conditions.
Alc%: 12
Acid: 6.21
Residual Sugar: 0.8
Wine Type: White
Wine Body: Medium
Blend or Single Variety: Single Variety
Pack Size: Single: 750ml bottle Case: 6 x 750ml bottle

  • Steve Creber, James Halliday Wine Companion

    Jan 2018
    92 Points
    Fermented in French oak, and left on lees with batonnage for a further 8 months. 80% new and 20% 1yo wood employed for maturation. The (high quality) toasty, nutty oak dominates, but the ripe peach and melon fruit has its say, and the result is a rich and flavoursome style of some character. It's a little resinous on the finish, and probably best with food.
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  • Rich Cook, Wine Review Online

    Jan 2019
    92 Points
    Sublimely subtle Chardonnay from down under, which reminds me that this grape from this region tends to be undervalued north of the equator. Maybe it's just less noticed with all of that Shiraz floating around.... Anyway, this bottle will show you what I'm talking about, with its soft lemon, lime, honeydew, stone and faint herb aromas and flavors, and its long, seamlessly integrated finish. Seafood is the ticket here, lightly spiced and creamy preps please.”
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  • Isaac James Baker, Terroirist

    Jan 2018
    91 Points
    Medium yellow color. Nose shows lemon curd, a burst of limes and white peaches, along with saline, white flowers, chalk, and subtle almond and honey butter. On the palate, this is pristine and vibrant, medium-full-bodied with crisp acidity. I love the lemons, limes and white peaches, matched with hay, saline, dandelion, along with nougat and honey. A very pretty, vibrant, compelling Clare Valley Chardonnay. Aged 10 months in 80% new French oak.
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  • Nick Stock, JamesSuckling.com

    Jan 2018
    89 Points
    A toasty chardonnay with cloves, vanilla and lemon curd. Full-bodied and round. There is some decent acidity to carry this to a buttery, fatter finish. Drink now.
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  • Andrew Graham, Australian Wine Review

    Jan 2018
    89 Points
    This sits at the premium end of the Taylors whites though has always been the odd wine out. The style here is comfortably old school, with a lees and oak chubbiness, though the acidity isn’t soft. No shortage of stonefruit and plumpness, but it also feels too much. That leesy pomp will win friends, but less would be more. Best drinking: Now to 2 years. 16.8/20, 89/100. 12%, $40. Would I buy it? A glass.
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  • Ronn Weigand MW, MS, Restaurant Wine

    Jan 2018
    4.5 Stars
    Screw cap. A complex version of this wine; indeed moving ever-closer to Burgundy. It is full bodied, round, and crisp, with very good balance, some richness, and layers of complexity (apple, pear, roasted nut, spicy oak, white peach). Very long finish. Has well-integrated oak character. Aged 10 months in Louis Latour French oak barrels.
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  • Richard Hemming MW, Jancis Robinson

    Jan 2018
    16.5 Points
    Smoky nose with excellent tropical fruit concentration on the palate and a long, flinty tone. Nicely integrated fresh acid and very subtle oak. Delicious mealy note gives texture and complexity. Very savoury, oyster-shell notes to finish.
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  • Adler Yarrow , Vinography

    Jan 2020
    Pale yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of butterscotch and white flowers. In the mouth, lemon curd and butterscotch flavors have a wonderful lightness to them, with hints of pomelo pith emerging as the wine finishes. Lacey, delicate acidity runs throughout. 12% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap.
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