The Roader was in town to be part of a big tasting. He’s a generous man as I found out over the
years, and whenever one tries to match him, he’ll out-do you. There’s no winning. For this event, he fronted up with a
delicious red, but it was the finale, a white, that wowed everyone. And being the modest man he is, he wasn’t
quite as happy with what he provided as he thought he might be…
Well, no one could fault the 2001 Felton Road ‘Block2’
Central Otago Chardonnay, en magnum! At over
a dozen years old, even allowing for the large format bottle, this was in
spectacular condition. Golden yellow,
but light. The bouquet packed full of
toasty, nutty, mealy aromas and flavours.
Sure, fully mature, but not fading in any way. Minerals and toasted nuts. Some ripe stonefruits and hints of tropical
fruits. Not broad either, but with a
focus and line, assisted by the elevated acidity. Bold and golden, and coming along
nicely. Someone said this could be Grand
Cru Chablis. I thought
Corton-Charlemagne. I think The Roader
would have liked it to be a bit more minerally and linear. Maybe less developed. But the reality was that this was superb.
