2009 Vasse Felix Chardonnay Heytesbury
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Tasting notes
80% new oak. Very low yields in this vintage. A little more smoky than the 2008, hint of mushrooms. Ripe fruit but slightly less rounded overall. Great power and length. Very much wine rather than fruit on the finish. Well built. Less finesse than the 2008 – a little bit harder. (JH)
Critic scores
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
More obvious oak on the nose (80% new), toasty and rich but not over-ripe. Fresh with a creamy, mealy texture and a touch of orange on the mid palate. (JH)
Barrel fermented with wild yeast in French oak, 80% new, and matured for 10 months in oak, the 2009 Heytesbury Chardonnay displays alluring meal, cashew and ripe apricot notes with nuances of honeysuckle, lemon curd and brioche. Crisp, rich, ripe, silky and very concentrated in the mouth, it has a long savory finish. Approachable now, it should cellar to 2018+. Importer: Negociants USA, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 259-0993.
About the producer
Vasse Felix was the first winery in Margaret River, founded in 1967. Today, it is one of Western Australia’s – and the New World’s – most respected names, crafting outstanding, cool-climate Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from this remote region, south of Perth.