2023 Giaconda Estate Chardonnay

Expert review

Clear gold in the glass with that unmistakable, complex and utterly seductive nose that you can only attribute to Giaconda Chardonnay. Reductive at first with toasted curry leaf and struck match that dissipates to reveal umami-rich ocean brine, roasted oyster shell, grilled lemon, Yuzu, ripe white peach, a hint of white pineapple and kaffir lime, gardenia, orange blossom and frangipani, coriander seed, cardamom, anise, white pepper, roasted pepitas and toasted vanilla. Once it hits the lips, the world suddenly turns silent and you quickly understand you’re in the presence of something exceptional. A core of orange-leaning citrus, fresh apricot, dried apple, nectarine, donut peach, fennel, almond and sweet ’n’ savoury spice hold in the centre of the palate, pure, creamy and composed with a zen-like calmness. Fine grained tannins grip and hold everything tight, while seamlessly woven acidity powers it all, carrying it over an exceptionally long trajectory that seems to have no end. There’s a very delicate vein of salinity and crushed rock-like mineral qualities running throughout, revealing itself in the back half of its arc. It ends over minutes, singing the same perfectly harmonised chord that it started with, albeit with richer overtones and harmonics. An extraordinary release that has taken the Estate Chardonnay to another level, yet again.

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