Our Best Endeavours

After a look at a series of benchmarker wines, Gordy and I met up with SWMBO at Just-a-Sippy’s.  He’s a clever man who is utterly charming, and there’s much more going on than meets the eye.  His offer was one you couldn’t turn down.  He had a top class wine that he wanted to serve up.  And there was no way you’d want to pass it up.

In the glass, it had a little gold.  Some age clearly, but not too much.  Just on the tipping point of development.  A rich and powerful yellow stonefruit aroma, with lashings of oak and solids in the ferment.  Ripe for sure to handle the added extras.  A hint of savoury citrus and tropical fruits.  Clearly Chardonnay with barrel-ferment, and not clean with it.  Then a big mouthful with weight, warmth alcohol power and drive to burn.  Layers of flavour coming out in the glass.  Softish acidity, but fruit extract for Africa.  Oaking strong, but not excessively charry or toasty.  Nutty, mealy, but not matchsticky.

 

We three tried to work it out.  Chardonnay from the New World and more New Zealand than anything else.  Despite the full works, there something maritimely clean about New Zealand Chardonnay.  And North Island from a hotter, warmer year, as there was no greenness nor overt acid zing or edge.  We settled on Hawke’s Bay 2009.  It wasn’t the current trendy reductive-sulphide, tight and elegant style.  Nor was it the overly full, sweet and bold type.  We couldn’t put a finger on whose it was.  Our best endeavours were fruitless beyond this point.

Just-a Sippy revealed it: Clearview ‘Endeavour’ Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2009.  A real surprise.  It was big as could be expected, but the flavours weren’t over the top with too much oak, too much ripeness, nor too much sweetness.  Gordy reckoned it may have been in barrel a little too long, taking away the freshness.  But then there’s more integration and a softer impression, though possibly a tad drier.  You take your choice on what to do.  Has Tim Turvey tightened up his beloved out-there style?  Based on this, yes.