2020 Mount Mary, Chardonnay

I den kølige 2020 årgang er Mount Mary's Chardonnay flyttet til Puligny. Det er den mest syredrevne, friske og kølige udgave fra Sam Middleton, siden han overtog kælderen i 2012. Vinmarken blev plantet i 1972 med en række kloner. Denne udgave er som altid fadgæret og lagret i et mix af fade med 30% ny barrique, ældre fade og enkelte 1500 liters fade. Vinen gennemgår ikke malolatisk gæring for at bevare vinens fokus og renhed. Denne 2020er står knivskarp og ren i glasset med vidunderligt fadpræg sammen med våde sten, citrusfrugter, hvide blomster og æbler og pirrer med sine friske aromaer. I smagen er den stram, fokuseret og lineær med blændende renhed: Sam Middleton er uhyre begejstret for denne udgave, som han spår en stor og fantastisk udvikling i flasken. Som med alle Mount Mary's hvidvine må den ikke drikkes for kold - de folder sig nemlig så meget bedre ud ved højere temperaturer. (-2045+) *****

97 points James Halliday: "Four clones, hand picked, 20% whole-bunch pressed, the balance crushed and destemmed. Matured in French oak (30% new) for 11 months. Typically refined and elegant, but isn't stand-offish. The Yarra Valley's calling card of chardonnay is its extreme length, built around natural acidity and citrus zest. Oak is part of the upbringing, but discreet, and the wine has a very long plateau ahead."

96 points Robert Parker Wine Advocate: "The 2020 Chardonnay is classy, great, powerful, detailed and full. It's always like this, to be sure, but every year I am impressed by the seamlessness of the phenolics, the silken flow of the fruit, and the general cohesion and harmony in the wine. At this stage, it still has an unbridled, almost frisky character to the fruit (a brilliant thing, energy in fruit in youth is crucial for longevity), but all else is absolutely in place. The handpicked fruit is a blend of four clones, 20% whole-bunch pressed, the balance crushed and destemmed, and the wine matured in French oak (30% new) for 11 months. Drink it now or anytime; it will gracefully reward cellaring."