Eldridge Estate Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2009

After a weird call to the wine store this morning I thought this was appropriate.

A beautifully crafted Chardonnay from the peninsula. The Eldridge Estate Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2009 is sort of a step back to the close past – you get that? What I mean is this a Chardonnay that isn’t made in the Chablis style of tort acid and citrus. This wine has the beautiful texture of Chassagne Montrachet with a burst of stone fruit, soft grapefruit and persistent licorice powder. This is a wine that was made 10 years ago, before the time when it was uber chic to make chardonnay with piercing acid and nothing else. (Don’t get me wrong. I like acid and grapefruit in Chardonnay, but I also like complexity and fullness too.) Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful.

Drink with pork and pistachio sausage
Drink till 2016
97
Screwcap 13.7%v/v $47 Albert St Food & Wine, Brunswick

Gérard Tremblay Chablis 2009

For anyone who has met me, one of the first things people notice is that I am not tall. I am short; 170cm in the vertical – I do hope my kids will be taller than me because I am sick of being the tallest Cohen in the family. I’m short and so is the Gérard Tremblay Chablis 2009 . Its a great little wine on the primary palate but then its gone. Its short, but unlike me its got lovely white flower aromas with a thin line of citrus, mainly grapefruit, holding it together; I don't smell nearly as good. If you are unsure about Chablis and get scared by some of the $$$, then grab a bottle of this; for $30 it’s a great introduction.

Drink till 2012
Drink with scallop ceveche
88
Screwcap 12.5%v/v $30 Blackheart & Sparrows, Brunswick

Patrick Piuze Courgis Chablis 2008

Simple is good. The Patrick Piuze Courgis Chablis 2008 is all simple; simple in a good way with wonderful clean acidity, citrus and lanolin all melded together with what I can only describe as one of the most mineral driven wines I have had. An absolutely must have wine this summer.

Drink with kingfish ceviche
Drink till 2016
94
Quality cork and wax seal 12%v/v $50 from Blackhearts and Sparrows, Brunswick

La Parisienne Pates and L'Eglantiere Chablis 2007

Last week my daughter and I went on a little trip into the city for a little bit of this and a little bit of that.
On the way home we stopped off in Lygon Street Carlton for some provisions for dinner; Donati butchers for some pork. While waiting to be served (they were very busy), I was pondering how to cook the pork – pondering long and hard I was.
Now I do have a bit of a soft spot for all things French, so it was decided that the pork would be prepared in a Gaul sought of way and so with this I knew I would need more provisions.
Now Lygon Street is famously known as ‘Little Italy’ in Melbourne, no disputing this. So it is a surprise that the best French deli in my town is on this thoroughfare.
La Parisienne Pates is a little gem in the heart of ‘Little Italy’ and is Australia’s only charcuterie, with all the wonderful small goods made by Stephane Langlois. There are game pies made from duck and rosemary jus, rabbit and prune, and venison with mushrooms. The pates and terrines are just brilliant - more duck, this time with orange, wild mushroom, venison with cepes; sexy stuff this.
Our visit saw us buy some duck fat, bread, wonderful Ossau Iraty hard cheese and a bottle of L’Eglantiere Chablis 2007.
Now, about the wine.
I am not sure if this wine is exclusive to La Parisienne Pates, but if it is, they have got themselves an absolute ripper. At $30, this is pure gold. The colour is straw gold, quite stark. The nose is all lemon, and with time in the glass transforms to a lovely lemon meringue. In the mouth it is quite minerally with flint coming through in even waves. This is very young Chablis which I think may need a couple of years, but right now it is clean, crisp and easy to drink.
Drink till 2012
Drink with confit pork with steamed green beans (the menu that evening).

Wow, this is making me hungry and thirsty. Bugger it, I’m off to La Parisienne Pates.