Momento Mori
Brutal White Chardonnay
New Zealand
Unlike Dane's "Brutal" red, the "Brutal" white was brilliant. Totally electric, if not a little green. Pleasant flinty, smokey, and olive-like reduction on the nose. Drinking this is like sucking on salted lemons, while chowing down on some parsley salad (St. John's anyone?) and sliced apples. If you've been to Malaysia, I would say it's a lot like drinking the kopitiam classic, Limau Asam Boi or also known as 3 Sour drink (made of calamansi and preserved plums), but with added complexity. Nuttiness and musk adds to the intrigue. Finishes with great focus. Would be nice to see this evolve with a little more air or age, but alas this is my last bottle.
NB: 100% Chardonnay harvested in multiple passes from the 5 half rows at the top of the vineyard in Cardinia Ranges (it's been pulled out. Nooooo!). Whole bunch macerated for 3 days before being pressed to stainless to complete both primary and malolactic fermentation. Then sent by gravity to 2 x twelve year old Burgundy barrels, one filled and continuously topped and the other 1/3 filled and left to develop a flor. Left like this for approximately 1 year before being blended back together and bottled by gravity. Zero additions, zero so2.
Unlike Dane's "Brutal" red, the "Brutal" white was brilliant. Totally electric, if not a little green. Pleasant flinty, smokey, and olive-like reduction on the nose. Drinking this is like sucking on salted lemons, while chowing down on some parsley salad (St. John's anyone?) and sliced apples. If you've been to Malaysia, I would say it's a lot like drinking the kopitiam classic, Limau Asam Boi or also known as 3 Sour drink (made of calamansi and preserved plums), but with added complexity. Nuttiness and musk adds to the intrigue. Finishes with great focus. Would be nice to see this evolve with a little more air or age, but alas this is my last bottle.
NB: 100% Chardonnay harvested in multiple passes from the 5 half rows at the top of the vineyard in Cardinia Ranges (it's been pulled out. Nooooo!). Whole bunch macerated for 3 days before being pressed to stainless to complete both primary and malolactic fermentation. Then sent by gravity to 2 x twelve year old Burgundy barrels, one filled and continuously topped and the other 1/3 filled and left to develop a flor. Left like this for approximately 1 year before being blended back together and bottled by gravity. Zero additions, zero so2.