“The initial fruit selection has some bearing, but the main differences from the varietal wine are 100% new oak, and 85% mlf (taking acidity down from 9.1g/l at harvest to 6.8g/l in the bottle). Pale greenstraw; as fresh as a daisy, with delicious white peach and grapefruit flavours that have made light work of the 100% new oak; its length (in particular) and balance are perfect.”
97 points, James Halliday
Wine Companion
“Aged in 100 per cent new oak; a rarity for that grape. With no obvious signs of oak, this smooth wine is balanced and oozing with class.”
97 points, Ben Thomas
Melbourne Weekly Review
“Has an almost sea spray whiff, over the matchsticky funk, with faint grapefruit-green apple-fruity characters in the bouquet. Full grape flavours with curls of smoke, saline acidity, faint nuttiness and some comely, creamy oak character – no hiding the profile of the chardonnay grape under winemaking here, instead the winery work offers golf clap support. Great balance of flavour, great length of flavour and a lot of satisfaction in layers of flavour; complexity, yet inherent freshness. Good stuff.”
94 points, Campbell Mattinson
The Wine Front
A different expression of Curly Flat Chardonnay. Always made in 100% new oak but in 350 litre puncheons rather than the usual 228 litre barrique.
Bouquet
Initial scents of sea spray, fresh toast, and struck match fused with citrus fruits mainly lemon and lime, along with hints of grapefruit. Lemon and apple blossom provide ethereal high points. A nose that merges power with grace, as French oak lends a regal polish to the fruit.
Palate
The immediately rich, creamy yet finely textured mouthfeel creates a luxurious platform for the lemon zest citrus and fresh-cut stone fruits to pulse forward along with a wave of glistening cool climate acidity.
Cellaring
An intense expression of cool-climate Chardonnay. It definitely has the Curly Flat frame but wearing different clothes. Expect the full journey in the cellar here over 10+ years.
How is this drinking now?
Mid gold colour, pale and bright struck match, sea spray swirls with white stone fruit and grapefruit. Mouth-filling palate with good tension, evident oak structure giving the beautifully maturing fruit plenty of shape and interest. Drink 2020-2028.
Curly Flat © 2019 All Rights Reserved
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