For related articles on Australian Chardonnay, see Jancis's The new Pulignys of Australia, Australia's slimline Chardonnays and my recent Australian Chardonnay: is the pendulum at rest?
Who would have thought that a 30-year-old Australian Chardonnay would still be upright on its perch – broad, rich and spicy but still fresh? I was surprised and impressed. Even though some vintages in this vertical tasting did not have quite as much life and vitality as the 1986, it shows how easy it is to underestimate the longevity of certain wine styles, for the grapes for the earlier vintages of Eileen...