Raymond Chan Wine Reviews
- Published in Blog
2018 Mt. Beautiful Rosé
17 / 20 Points, 4 Stars
Bright, light copper-orange colour with some depth, paler on the rim. The nose is softly full with densely packed aromas of savoury quince fruit with subtle strawberry notes, hints of yellow stonefruits and soft nutty and mineral elements, unfolding red florals. Dry to taste and fullish bodied, the palate has fulsome flavours of savoury quince and strawberries with stonefruit and floral detail. The mouthfeel is robust and vigorous with some phenolic textures lending presence. The fruit is underlined by light, background, thirst-quenching acidity and the wine carries to a light flavoured finish of quince and florals. This is a fulsome and vigorous dry rosé with quince, strawberry, stonefruit and floral flavours on a textural palate. Serve with antipasto and tapas over the next 2-3 years. A blend of 65% Pinot Noir given 12 hours skin contact and 35% hand-picked Pinot Gris, also given time on skins, the two varieties co-fermented in stainless-steel with 15% in seasoned French oak to 14.5% alc. and <3 g/L RS, the barrel portion aged on lees. 17.0/20 Nov 2018 RRP $21.50
2017 Mt. Beautiful Chardonnay
17/20 Points, 4 Stars
Bright straw-yellow colour with lemon-green hues, lighter on the rim. The nose is elegant and slender in presentation, possessing a taut and finely concentrated core of fresh citrus fruit with yellow stonefruits, with a subtle layering of nutty oak and hints of lemon-curd MLF detail. Medium-bodied, the palate has an elegantly concentrated and taut heart with bright and lively citrus fruit and yellow stonefruits, along with nutty oak, and hints of creamy barrel-ferment melded with MLF. The mouthfeel is refreshing and sleek, and flows along a fine line with brisk acidity enlivening the fruitiness. The wine carries to an elegant, slender, but lingering finish. This is an elegantly taut, refreshing Chardonnay with lively citrus fruit along with nutty oak notes and hints of creaminess on a sleek palate. Serve with seafood dishes over the next 3+ years. Clone 95 and 2/23 fruit, hand-picked, WBP and fermented in equal portions in stainless-steel and new and seasoned oak to 13.0% alc., the wine aged 10 months on less, the barrel portion undergoing MLF. 17.5-/20 Nov 2018 RRP $26.90
2017 Mt. Beautiful Riesling
17.5 / 20 Points, 4 Stars
Bright, pale straw colour with slight green hues, near colourless on the rim. The nose is finely concentrated with very good depth of penetrating aromas of lime fruit entwined with notes of honeysuckle and toast. The nose exudes a mineral freshness. Medium in sweetness and light-medium bodied, the palate has soft and gentle flavours of lime fruit with hints of lemon, melded harmoniously with some honeysuckle and toast, unfolding lifted white florals. The flavours are delicate and integrated, with the sweetness adding to the fruit richness. The wine flows along a light, tight line of fruit extract, with taut, soft acidity indicating low pH, and the wine carries softly to a light, nuanced finish. This is a delicately flavoured, harmoniously integrated medium Riesling with lime, lemon, honey and white floral flavours on a soft-textured, taut palate. Serve as an aperitif and with Asian fare over the next 4+ years. Fruit fermented in stainless-steel to 11.24% alc. and 21 g/L RS, TA 9.45 g/L and pH 2.74. 17.5/20 Nov 2018 RRP $28.00
2017 Mt. Beautiful Pinot Noir
17.5/20 Points, 4 Stars
Moderately deep red colour with ruby hues, lighter on the rim. The nose is soft and somewhat restrained in expression, showing light aromas of dark-red cherry and berry fruit along with delicate nuances of fresh herbs, red florals and nutty oak. The aromatics build in depth with aeration. Medium-bodied, the palate has medium-deep flavours of red cherry and berry fruit along with subtle notes of fresh herbs, some light, nutty oak, unfolding lifted red florals. The fruit forms a soft-textured core with light, grainy tannins lending presence to the mouthfeel, the acidity integrated and balanced. The wine carries softly to a gentle finish of red fruits and florals. This is an elegantly fruited Pinot Noir with red cherry and berry fruit with herbs, oak and floral notes on a soft, grainy-textured palate. Serve with poultry and pork over the next 4 years. Predominantly clones 667 and 777 with up to 11 other clones employed, the fruit hand-picked and fully destemmed, and fermented to 13.0% alc., the wine aged 10 months in 20% new French oak barrels. 17.5-/20 Nov 2018 RRP $32.00