A tale of two chardonnays
We had the pleasure of drinking two of Australia’s better Chardonnays on successive days in September.
First the 2006 Penfolds Yattarna Bin 144. We decanted the wine immediately before drinking. It was initially quite austere, tight, and complex and structured with the well-known flavour profile of Yattarna. As the wine breathed and warmed up it flavours opened up and it became much more approachable, flavoursome and easier to drink. A great wine.
The following day it was a bottle of Bannockburn 2006. Given our experience of the Yattarna the day before we opened and decanted this bottle an hour before drinking. Straight out of the bottle it was immediately more flavoursome and approachable. Like the Yattarna, as it breathed and opened up its flavours developed.
While it was not unexpected that the Yattarna would be the tighter more structured Chardonnay, this comparison the importance of serving such big white wines well. It has become our practice to decant quality aged Chardonnay’s before drinking. On the basis of this comparison I am tempted to open and decant them a little earlier before drinking. The other important serving hint is not to serve them too cold. This inhibits the flavour of the wine coming and reduces the pleasure gained from drinking the wine.
