'Nothing but Chardonnay' dinner with Peter Rosback

Peter Rosback of Sineann in Oregon makes wine in Central Otago and Marlborough, as well as in California and Washington. As he was visiting NZ for vintage, we thought it'd be interesting to organise an international Chardonnay tasting, with particular emphasis on France and (of course) NZ in his honour, here in Wellington.

Rauno and I drew up the tasting schedule (all from wines participants offered). Andrew liaised with the Hippopotamus restaurant and they provided an excellent accompanying menu.

The wines were served rigorously double blind (except flight 7) and the flight rankings are only from those who tasted blind. My TNs and scores are individual and non-blind.

• 2009 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  A deeper colour than the other two wines, giving an impression of maturity. A restrained nose of pear, peach, wet river boulder and limes. Surprising rich and powerful on palate. Citric flavours with an underlying minerality and touches of tropical fruit. Very dense with serious fruit weight but good acidity to provide adequate precision and focus. I could understand why tasters had the somewhat monolithic wine as New World Chardonnay. Overall, I thought this was a serious but very closed Grand Cru Chablis that just needs time. I'd expect a higher score with time. Rated by group 3/3.

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• 2009 Bell Hill Chardonnay 93 Points

  New Zealand, South Island, Canterbury

  Under screwcap. The bouquet of the Bell Hill seemed luxuriant beside the Dauvissat. A nose of bright orchard and citrus fruit, particularly grapefruit, white flowers, but the aromas of limestone, chalk and particularly the sulphide complexity seemed signature Bell Hill. I'd hope I would pick this wine blind as on palate those sulphides were classic Bell Hill. 'Screaming sulphides', said one taster. Peter also added that the wine had 'a lot of French oak'. He thought it was, 'great French oak, well used', that prevented the wine from being a New World over-scaled wine. For me, the fruit weight and concentration were present to offset the elevage and balance the wine. A detailed palate with citric, mineral, nutty, sulphide and oak combining to add great interest. Perhaps my top NZ Chardonnay of the tasting. No hurry to drink this wine. 1/3.

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• 2010 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Decanted 2-3 hours before serving. A clear, pure colour. A fairly austere mineral nose with citrus and yellow orchard fruit nuances. But much richer on palate than you would expect from the nose. As with the Dauvissat, the wine had real concentration and power. I thought that the acids were bright and sparkling but others thought that they finished a little bitterly. Some also saw the Raveneau’s upfront power but thought that the wine fell away on the back palate. As with the Dauvissat, I thought that this wine was very closed and a little raw, but had the matière to carry it through. Again, in time I'd expect a better score. 2/3.

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• 2011 Hyde De Villaine Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard Flawed

  USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

  Deep gold colour. Sadly, this wine was corked, with the TCA overpowering the spiciness on bouquet. The wine seemed a buttery, big scaled Chardonnay with a quite sweet entry and reasonable acidity. However, the TCA made it impossible to draw any definitive conclusions. 3/3.

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• 2012 Martinborough Vineyard Chardonnay Martinborough Terrace 92 Points

  New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa, Martinborough

  Under screwcap. In its March 2015 edition, Decanter named this wine as ‘the World’s best Chardonnay (outside of Burgundy)’ (so it was a must for this tasting). And you can see what the Decanter critics liked ... An attractive nose of spices, limes and yellow apples. On palate, this wine is all about balance. Paul Mason had excellent fruit quality here. The fruit weight perfectly matches the gorgeous acidity of the wine, to provide good focus and precision. The oak treatment is sympathetic. The flavour profile is also well poised and non-linear: citrus, mineral and pear flavours, without a hint of the tropical or lactic. It is quite nuanced but I did not find quite the detail or complexity of the Bell Hill. Perhaps more of that will come with time? (give it 3+ years). 1/3.

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• 2010 Blain-Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Decanted 2-3 hours before serving. A rich bouquet of tropical fruits and baking spices. On palate, this wine is quite raw and primary. It is presently a bit clunky and broad with a major, somewhat jarring, oak influence. Peter also picked up a little alcohol burn on the back palate, although I did not see it. The room was divided between Old and New World here, with some tasters suggesting Meursault. A lactic and spicy flavour profile. This wine has serious dry extract and power and good acidity. It may come together in 3+ years into something really good, but I'm less convinced than for some of the other white Burgundies in the lineup. 2/3.

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• 2007 Sacred Hill Chardonnay Riflemans 91 Points

  New Zealand, North Island, Hawke's Bay

  Under screwcap. The Riflemans had a lovely, exotic fruit dominated nose, with peach and vanilla elements. In the mouth, this is a rich, large scaled wine, with some acidity. Peter described it as 'fluffy, with more initial sweetness than other wines in the flight'. A lower acid, reasonably fresh, not unbalanced wine, showing some evolution. The flavours were pear, nectarine, grapefruit, whipped cream and some more exotic fruit elements. The tasters all had the Riflemans as New World. A very pleasant Chardonnay now, perhaps a little too straightforward in its flavour profile. It won't improve from what it is now. I'll drink my remaining bottles in the next 2-3 years. 2/3.

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• 2007 Neudorf Chardonnay Moutere 93 Points

  New Zealand, South Island, Nelson, Moutere

  An attractive bouquet of lemons, yellow orchard fruit and blanched almonds. On palate, this is a top quality NZ Chardonnay which, as is typical for this label, tasters were commonly picking as white Burgundy. Nuanced and detailed, with citric, pear, nutty and some lactic elements. Gorgeous, vigorous acidity, it paired beautifully with my seafood course. A food wine. Good fruit weight and structure but, most of all, excellent poise and proportion. And surprising primary for a 2007 ... drinking beautifully now but, safe under its screw cap, I'd have no problem with holding this wine for 5+ more years. The Neudorf competed with the Bell Hill for my NZ WoTN. 1/3.

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• 2007 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Decanted 5-6 hours before tasting. Aromatic with notes of blanched nuts, yellow apples, pears, limes and a touch of the tropical. On palate, the wine was tight and a little closed, seemingly at a bit of an awkward stage. Serious fruit weight and architecture. I liked the bright acids here, which gave cut and focus, but Peter had the wine as 'too acidic, with too much green acidity'. To me that was typical 2007 white Burgundy, and a positive. Although the flavours were restrained and austere next to the flavourful New Zealanders, I enjoyed the hints of bauxite, salinity and tropical elements I found. I'm confident that the elements here will come together in 3-4 years. 3/3.

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• 2004 Giaconda Chardonnay Estate Vineyard 92 Points

  Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth

  The deepest gold colour so far. A deep, rich nose of blanched cashews, toasty oak and old orchard fruit. In the mouth, rich and luxuriant with fruit flavours more tropical than orchard fruit, also with a slightly confected, caramelised component. The Giaconda is a full on, concentrated Chardonnay with a big structure and a dense mid palate. I thought the acidity was acceptable but Peter was blunt in his assessment saying 'the acidity was too low and the fruit overripe'. This 2004 was not as good as Rauno’s recent 2002 Giaconda. This wine is not really my style but I seemed to like it more than the group. 3/3.

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• 2008 Kumeu River Chardonnay Coddington 92 Points

  New Zealand, North Island, Auckland, Kumeu

  A lovely nose of fresh citrus, baking spices, pears, minerals and a little vanillin oak and tropical fruit nuance. On palate, fresh as a daisy, open and accessible. Beside the Giaconda, lovely, bright acidity (although some in the room thought it over-acidic). Not as dense as the Giaconda but good fruit weight and very well balanced and focused. Flavours of white peach, pear, lemon juice and minerals, with tropical fruit hints. There is also oak present but the handling is sympathetic and in proportion. Good length. Under its screwcap, it should easily handle 3-5 more years. 1/3.

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• 2007 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

  A big expressive nose of vanilla bean oak and clotted cream with notes of citrus, peaches and spices. On palate, very tight and but with great purity and focus. Creamy and citric with spices and a hint of honey. Concentrated with serious fruit weight, power, structure and length. Good 2007 acids provide some tension and cut. However, this wine needs another 3+ years cellar time to be at its best, I suspect. 2/3.

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• 2005 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series 94 Points

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Under screwcap. Decanted 5-6 hours before tasting. Beating the 2001 Giaconda for my Australian WoTN. A big, powerful, sweetish nose of white peaches, apricots, grapefruits, musk and nutmeg, with a generous slug of vanillin oak. On palate, this is a deeply concentrated, big boned wine. It has Grand Cru Burgundy fruit weight and all of the tasters were picking it as Old World. It has the scale but with sufficient refinement, subtlety and detail of flavours, to retain your interest. Lactic and lower acid with a flavour profile matching the bouquet. Still fairly primary, this wine should still be improving over the next 5-10 years. 1=/3.

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• 2008 Hyde De Villaine Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard Flawed

  USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

  The second HdV in the lineup was also corked. Below the TCA there were some nice limey, citric aromas and, on palate, the suggestion of rich, sweetish, weighty fruit, but it was not possible to make any proper assessment. 3/3.

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• 2010 Church Road Chardonnay Tom Hawke's Bay 89 Points

  New Zealand, North Island, Hawke's Bay

  Under screwcap. This is Church Road’s top Chardonnay, only produced in exceptional years. For sheer scale, the Tom put all of the Australians, including the Giacondas, into the shade, making them look petite by comparison. A rich and powdery bouquet of fully ripe golden peaches, apricots, bread dough and baking spices with a lot of vanillin oak, yet to integrate. In the mouth, a ripe, rich, open textured, seemingly leesy wine, packed with plenty of fruit and prominent oaky flavour. A butterscotch finish. Huge fruit weight. Thierry had the best descriptor of the wine: ‘Baroque’. Some of our group liked it on the night but, to me, it was overdone. 1=/3.

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• 2009 Henri Boillot Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

  Decanted 4 hours earlier (on opening it was very raw and aggressive). A gorgeous bouquet, multi-dimensional bouquet of spices, citrus, crushed river boulders, honey glazing, pears and other orchard fruit, minerals and gun flint. On palate, a clear step up on anything tasted earlier. Complex and nuanced with layers of flavours including citric, honeyed and stone and tropical fruit. Also real minerality in the mouth and an attractive saline element. Well integrated, spicy oak. Lovely, silky, creamy mouth feel and texture. Superb fruit weight. Very good acidity, showing no stereotypical 2009 overripeness. A long, mineral finish. The wine is very young, but it showed very well on the night, as compared with many of the other Burgundies. However, if it survives premox, I don’t doubt it has a long life ahead of it. It was not outclassed by the Montrachet but I rated it lower due to its more overt fruit flavour. 2=/3.

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• 2009 Henri Boillot Montrachet 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  Decanted 4 hours earlier. An ethereal nose, more subtle than the Criots, but more complex. The nuances included exotic spices, lemons, pears, tropical fruit, meadow flowers, minerals, bush honey etc etc. On palate, an extraordinary wine in beautiful harmony. Obviously young but surprisingly accessible. The flavour profile is more stone fruit than exotic although there are touches of pineapple with wet granite, mineral, citric and lactic flavours. Up a notch in detail from the Criots. Gorgeous texture, rich and glycerol across the palate. Excellent acidity, but not quite as good as (and riper than) the 2007 Boillot Montrachet I recently had. A long, mineral finish. Ideally, give this wine at least 5+ years. Superb! 2=/3.

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• 2006 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

  Opened 4 hours earlier. (Rauno reported this opened quite fresh and said, with hindsight, he should have pop and poured). Deep gold colour. A nose, to me, dominated by Époisses and other lactic aromas, but also with peach, quince and honey elements. Clearly oxidated. On palate, clearly advanced and oxidated but the consensus was that the Leflaive was not premoxed. Good weight and an interesting flavour profile, with marzipan and lactic elements. It had no Chevalier typicity. Tasters had it as 1999 to 2003 vintage but were clearly enjoying it (more than me). Peter mentioned what he saw as a 'remarkable second after-taste' to this wine. I don't know, but I doubt that this bottle would be representative of this wine. Still, this bottle was interesting and enjoyable. 1/3.

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• 1995 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series Flawed

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Pop and pour. Badly corked.

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• 2000 Kumeu River Chardonnay Maté's Vineyard Flawed

  New Zealand, North Island, Auckland, Kumeu

  Pop and pour. Undrinkable. Either or both corked and oxidised.

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• 2001 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  Pop and pour. At last, an attractive Chablis-typical bouquet of seashells, seaspray, citrus and a little tropical fruit. On palate, the wine was surprisingly primary, with talcy, chalky flavours. Also lovely citric, mineral, pear, quince and saline elements, with a suggestion of herbal tea (per Thierry). Superb, sparkling acidity. Excellent balance and focus and all of the elements still in place for the future. This bottle would have been even better in 5 years. Excellent!

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• 2001 Giaconda Chardonnay Estate Vineyard 93 Points

  Australia, Victoria, North East, Beechworth

  Pop and pour. Deep colour. A big, rich bouquet, like the 2004, but with a funky, sous bois note I really liked. Rich and ripe on palate, with tropical and stonefruit flavours, particularly golden peaches and apricots. The oak was well integrated and there was a clear MLF element to the taste. Still decent acidity. Serious fruit weight, structure and length. Broad shouldered. Peter and I both preferred it to the 2004 (but I still rate the 2002 I had last year higher).

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• 2013 Sineann Pinot Noir Yates Conwill Vineyard

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Pop and pour. Peter made 500 cases of this wine in 2013. Bright garnet. A lovely spicy, savoury nose of fruit largely in the red fruit spectrum with dry underbrush. On palate, the wine is juicy, ripe and mellow. A lovely wine and a great way to finish the tasting!

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