1995 Petaluma Chardonnay

THREE TENORS REACH FOR THE HIGH C'S.In Australia, Chardonnay has a number of extraordinary exponents of the variety, but when the wines of three of Australia's' finest Chardonnay producers all arrive at once for comparative tasting, one is definitely in for a very interesting experience - 1995 Pipers Brook Vineyard, 1995 Coldstream Hills Reserve and 1995 Petaluma. Three different parts of the country and three distinct wine making styles - all high profile winemakers and all masters of their craft.Brian Croser recently embarked on a series of seminars "Distinguished Sites and Chardonnay."In brief Croser defined the qualities as "distinguished Chardonnay has an intrinsic and unique quality conferred by the vineyard where it has grown. A distinguished Chardonnay can not be copied without first acquiring the vineyard site. The uniqueness conferred by the vineyard site survives the vagaries of the vintage and to a large extent those of management."In his seminar Croser outlines a number of sites under his control in the Piccadilly Valley, and each site has definitely got its own unique qualities as tasted by the various component parts. But Croser is going one step further than just pursuing the results of a single site, as is more or less the case with Coldstream Hills and Pipers Brook - Croser is aiming to build into his Chardonnay a kind of complexity that comes from interstate / inter regional blends, and he is increasing the complexity factor considerably by sourcing fruit from 6 vineyard sites situated in the Piccadilly Valley.The kind of results that this approach brings can be likened to the production of Sauternes, where by anything up to 13 picking dates are separately fermented in a variety of new and old oak to create an assemblage of extraordinary complexity. Croser's 1995 Petaluma is a collage - the wine would not be anywhere near as complex without this approach - this is Crosers' secret weapon against his competitors - create a complexity of flavour that is unmatchable. The components contribution are: TIERS VINEYARD - white peach flavour, high natural acidity; ERIC'S VINEYARD - herbaceous and melon skin flavours; MOUNT BONYTHON - cashew and roasted almond; SUMMERTOWN SHED BLOCK - fragrant citrus blossom and ripe cantelope; BRUCE'S BLOCK - honey and spice; ST. MARGARET'S - acidity and austerity.This is an exceptional Chardonnay, and possibly Crosers best to date, out performing the 90 and 92. Bright straw colour. The nose is outstanding, displaying exceptional complexity. Peach, melon, cinnamon, spice,almond and barrel ferment characters are intermeshed and combine to produce an anticipation of depth and persistence that awaits delivery, and one is not disappointed. The complexity of the nose persists all the way through to the palate with creamy butterscotch, bitter almond, biscuit and superbly subtle cinnamon oak integration. The acidity is precise and adds a backbone structure to the wine that will ensure at least a decade in the cellar. The wine has exceptional persistence and aftertaste. Clearly one of Australia's best Chardonnays.This is an exceptional Chardonnay, and possibly Crosers best to date, out performing the 90 and 92. Bright straw colour. The nose is outstanding, displaying exceptional complexity. Peach, melon, cinnamon, spice,almond and barrel ferment characters are intermeshed and combine to produce an anticipation of depth and persistence that awaits delivery, and one is not disappointed. The complexity of the nose persists all the way through to the palate with creamy butterscotch, bitter almond, biscuit and superbly subtle cinnamon oak integration. The acidity is precise and adds a backbone structure to the wine that will ensure at least a decade in the cellar. The wine has exceptional persistence and aftertaste. Clearly one of Australia's best Chardonnays.