It could be argued that the Hunter Valley is the home of Australian

Chardonnay, mostly because the late Murray Tyrrell is credited with

helping to popularise it. Still, as recently as three years ago, the

serious end of Hunter chardonnay seemed to be in trouble. Cool

climate examples had jumped in quality and became all the rage,

making Hunter Valley wines look old-fashioned. The market swing

away from heavily oaked, buttery drops also didn’t help, since these

had been the Hunter’s signature style for 20 years.

Given the situation, there were some who reckoned that the days of

serious Hunter chardy were numbered. Some producers even

skipped a vintage or two while they rethought the style they wanted

to, or could, make.

Tyrrell’s wasn’t in that camp. Its Vat 47 Chardonnay is an icon of both

the region and of Australian wine, and it has sailed steadily on. And yet

it, too, has been tweaked in style of late. It is finer and longer than it has

ever been, with tangy, lemony acidity shooting through the finish. The

just-released 2005 Tyrrell’s Wines Vat 47 Chardonnay (A$49) is a case in

point. It’s full of lemon-grass and melon-like flavours, and although

cedary oak is evident, it plays third fiddle to fruit and racy acid. It has

not undergone any malolactic fermentation, and only spent seven

months in oak, of which only 30 per cent was new. The desire to keep

this wine light in oak and light on its feet is crystal clear. The end result is

not only high in quality but delicious, and destined to cellar well.

As is the end result of the 2007 Vat 47 Chardonnay, which has only just been bottled and won’t be

commercially available for several years. It only spent three months in oak before moving on to

bottle. This is super-intelligent winemaking in the new era of bright-fruited, oak-clipped Aussie

chardonnay. It also shows the way for Hunter Valley versions of the variety.”

WINES TO WATCH by Campbell Mattinson

Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine