2005 Yattarna

Light greenish-yellow color. Smoky melon and white peach aromas are ripe and inviting, with subtle sweet butter and lemon notes adding complexity. Light on its feet but deep in citrus and pit fruit flavors, picking up dusty minerals with air. Finishes with impressive cut and excellent mineral-driven persistence. Reminded me of a top-notch Puligny from a ripe vintage, and the 55% new French oak component never intruded.

Mostly Adeliaide Hills. Fine, lemony, quite dense and mineral scented – quite different from early vintages! A hint of malolactic fermentation aromas persists. Very chewy at this point – with lots presumably still to give. Not to be drunk for a while. Cough medicine flavours – lemon and eucalyptus. Long and very chewy with notable acidity. All on trust at the moment but pretty impressive. I will compare it with Shaw and Smith’s M3 Vineyard Chardonnay 2006, also from Adelaide Hills, and report further. (JR)

The 2005 Yattarna Chardonnay was barrel-fermented, went through malolactic fermentation, and was aged on its lees for nine months in 55% new French oak before bottling without filtration. Rounder and richer than Reserve Bin 06A, It, too, will blossom with several more years of bottle age. Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate, Feb 2009