2019 Evening Land Chardonnay Seven Springs Vineyard La Source

The 2019 Chardonnay La Source is lifted and perfumed with a delicate bouquet of chamomile, white flowers, sweet spice and yellow apples. It’s more energetic on the palate, vividly ripe in style with juicy acidity to balance. Hints of gingery spice add contrast toward the close. The 2019 finishes fresh and medium in length, leaving a gentle tension and a slightly grassy note as zests of lime and a floral resonance slowly fade. Of note, the 2019 includes fruit from vines planted in 2015, which explains its more forward character.

Pale lemon. Old parchment and fresh-baked pie crust with a sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon, lemon zest, crème fraîche and wet stone. Fresh, vibrant acidity with rich texture and building flavours that lead into an extraordinarily long, toasty, textured finish. Really remarkable. Best drunk slightly warmer when it’s had time to open. (SCJ)

Biodynamically farmed (uncertified). Harvested 1 October 2019. 12 months in Austrian puncheons, six months in tank. Well balanced and leesy with a flavour reminiscent of humitas dulces corn pudding without the sweetness (corn, sugar, evaporated milk, sultanas, butter), apple, lemon juice, linear acidity and a Graham-cracker finish. Quite lean in texture despite of my rather rich description of the fruit profile. (SCJ)