'Another outstanding vintage in a long run of successes'
2019 Curly Flat Chardonnay, Macedon Ranges, Australia
£210 per 6 bottle case in bond
The 2019 Curly Flat Chardonnay compellingly delivers in the glass, giving Chardonnay from anywhere in the world a run for its money. When we originally bought the 2019, so impressed were we that we took an additional parcel to hold back to allow the wine to evolve until ready to drink. That moment is now.
I know this because over lunch with three clients last week, I enjoyed a bottle. The three clients were similarly blown away. The wine has come together magnificently, two years almost to the day since we first offered this particular vintage. What was startling was the incredible fruit clarity and focus combined with a freshness and elegance. The wine is possessed of such pure, precise fruit, such poise and harmony. The lime and citrus notes that Simon describes in his original note really come through strongly, while the richer, rounder mid-palate has found more tension, direction and persistence. The alcohol level is a mere 12.7%. It is most definitely another outstanding vintage in a long run of successes.
By way of reminder, Curly Flat is one of the pioneers of cool-climate viticulture in Australia. Respected wine critic, James Halliday, once commented that for Macedon, ‘Site selection, the careful matching of site and grape variety, razor sharp canopy management, and relatively low yields are all prerequisites for success’. This is the key to Curly’s success – they tick all these boxes. The Macedon Ranges is one of the coolest wine-growing regions on the Australian mainland. Altitude plays the pivotal role in determining just how cool the exact site is. It is worth noting that Mount Macedon is a little over 1000 metres high – consequently, the vineyards of Curly Flat lie between 400 and 700 metres, and it takes attentive viticulture to deliver this quality with such unerring regularity.
I cannot recommend this highly enough for drinking now and over the next three to five years. You really should try it for yourself.
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2019 Chardonnay, Curly Flat
£210 per 6 bottle case in bond
Pale in the glass – with air it reveals enticing aromas of grilled grapefruit, juicy lime and toasted nut as well as a very subtle leesy note. The palate is immediately captivating – with more juicy stone fruits, nectarine and exotic fruits too, as well as mouthwatering lime and citrus. Perhaps this is a slightly more forward drinking vintage than its 2018 counterpart, but still has the structure to age, with terrific natural acidity and a chalky, mineral undertow. A touch richer and rounder this vintage, but so appealing, the consistency of Curly Flat’s Chardonnay is quite remarkable. Yes, there are subtle shifts in style in accordance with vintage, but the quality remains high, year in, year out. This is another outstanding vintage in a long run of successes. Drink 2023 to 2032 (SL).
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