Given the fact that I write these notes after I’ve sampled each bottle, there’s always the possibility that reordering scenarios will be revised as we continue to work through the pack. That’s the way it worked out when I opened the first of the two 2008 Chardonnays on a Friday afternoon when Foxy and the Barra dropped by for a few drinks.
I’d started with a Kirrihill Riesling and followed it with a Sauvignon Blanc from the same source - both nice styles, and with the conversation flowing as the guests reminisced about their days on Hamilton Island I was faced with a difficult decision - the Sauvignon Blanc had become a blank and I needed to open another bottle.
Figuring it was too early on an almost-summer afternoon to head over to the red side of things I reached for the Brook Eden 2008 Chardonnay. Interesting.
Back lit from the window that looks out to the courtyard, the wine was a pleasant straw colour in the glass. The conversation had turned to the new Hamilton Island Yacht Club, there wasn’t much I could contribute and I was taking my time...
The nose was pleasant as well - floral notes in particular and once it hit the palate there was a pleasant balanced acidity and a lengthy finish that was good enough to cut into the conversation. By general consensus, this one was the wine of the afternoon so far, and bearing in mind that both of its predecessors are styles I rate highly, that’s a pretty fair rap.
A Saturday night visit to Coyotes provided a chance to sample the second bottle, and once again it did not disappoint. I suspect that if we’d ended up with a third bottle there’d be a slight revision to the current reorder scenario,
Current reorder scenario, if one becomes necessary - half a dozen Pinot Rose, three each of the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A third favourable encounter with the Chardonnay would probably have changed that, possibly to the extent of dropping the Pinot if I didn’t want to go to an even three-way split.
Not much of a variation, but a change nevertheless.
