Winemaker Notes
"A Chablis look-alike, the attractive, crisp, fresh 2003 Chardonnay was aged in 30% new oak, but it is primarily fruit-driven, with some background minerality. With medium to full body, good definition, and lovely elegance, it should drink well for 1-2 years"- The Wine Advocate, Robert Parker
About the Label:
"On the Road to Gundagai" is a fascinating piece of Australian bush lore that personifies the Aussie battler, and the pioneering spirit. Transporting badly needed supplies, drovers were required to cross several treacherous rivers, including Five Mile Creek near Gundagai. As legend goes, Bullocky Bill the stoic but somewhat unlucky drover became bogged at Five Mile Creek. The yoke of his bullock team broke and on top of that, the dog shat on his tuckerbox (food and supplies case). Later interpretations of the legend had the drover's faithful mutt guarding the tuckerbox, while his master went for help.
Professional Ratings
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A narrow band of hills and valleys east of the city of Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills region is a diverse landscape featuring a variety of microclimates. In general it is moderate with high-altitude areas cooler and wetter compared to its warmer, lower areas.
Piccadilly Valley, the part of Adelaide Hills closest to the city, was first staked out by a grower named Brian Croser, in the 1970s for a cool spot to grow Chardonnay, then uncommon in Australia. Today a good amount of the Chardonnay goes to winemakers outside of the region.
Producers here experiment with other cool-climate loving aromatic varieties like Pinot Gris, Viognier and Riesling. Charming sparkling wine is also possible. On its north side, lower, west-facing slopes make full-bodied Shiraz.