Pound for pound the best Chardonnay coming out of the West, with a real challenge to the Leeuwin Estate Art Series. The Ashbrook Margaret River Chardonnay 2007 is a wine that continues to get better with every vintage.
Margaret River, I have been told by certain 'Wine Experts', is Semillon Sauvignon country, with Chardy just making up the numbers. Yet, it was the Ashbrook Chardonnay about 4 or 5 years ago that was judged by James Halliday as Australia's best, with wines such as Leeuwin Estate, Bindi Quartz and Yabby Lake all rating considerably less.
I really only noticed this wine from the 2005 vintage. At around $25 from Uncle Dan's, this wine a couple of years ago was the most frequent visitor through our doors in Brunswickistan. It seemed that this vintage was a never ending one, with Dan's having it on the shelves for what seemed like two years. The day came, however, when the 2005 was gone, and in its place stood the 2007 (I don't know why we didn't get any of the 2006 vintage). At the same price, it was a no brainer. Pale straw and a quick whack of grapefruit and almond meal suggested this wine was going to be like its 05' sibling; and it was. Great length in the mouth with more racy grapefruit and spine-tingling acid that could cut through a diamond, with soft licorice powder bringing up the rear with fine style.
This is a wine that I believe will be drinking near its peak in about two years, though right now with another heat-wave upon us this wine will surely play another pivotal role in down-town Brunswickistan. And one more thing, do not be put off by the whopping great 14.5%v/v - to me this is a wonderful example of first class wine-making with the ease that the oak intergration seems to chew up all of the alcohol.
Drink with grilled whiting
Drink till 2014
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Screwcap 14.5%v/v $24 Hawthorn East Dan Murphy’s
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