2021 Josef Chromy ZDAR Chardonnay, Northern Tasmania

Medium straw-yellow with toasted almond, wheat and straw aromas, the palate opens with a belt of green-apple acidity that attacks the front of the tongue. Indeed, the acidity is so high it pushes the fruit out of the way and makes the wine taste unbalanced. It might have needed a malolactic fermentation. Food is essential with this wine. 31 DEC 2023 Drink 2026–2032

90 points Huon Hooke therealreview.com

A full-bodied chardonnay, built on the foundation of substantial barrel (12 months) and bottle age (3 years), following fermentation in new (one-third) and used barriques. The creamy, detailed texture is accentuated further with weekly lees stirring; the wine finished sans fining or filtration. Stone fruits, cashew, nougat, truffled lees and vanillin oak fill the olfactory senses. The wine is weighty and confident in its strapping richness, making a pleasant change from the skinny zeitgeist.