Fess Parker Ashley's Chardonnay 2023
14.2%v alcohol, cork, Sta Rita Hills.
This has a cooling herbs aspect to the run of stone fruit, brioche and cedar. There's a power to the fruit, a power to the oak, and a saline aspect to the acidity – the latter aspect arguably the wine’s strongest asset. A little more finesse in oak terms wouldn't go astray but for flavour you’re certainly not left short-changed here. 92 points.
Campbell Mattinson has been an independent journalist, wine critic and photographer for forty years. He founded The Winefront, is a former chief editor of the Halliday Wine Companion (and former editor of Halliday magazine), and is the only Australian to have won the Australian Wine Communicator of the Year Award more than once. He is 100% independent, and tastes between 5,000 and 10,000 wines each year, blind and in comparative brackets as often as is practicable.
Mattinson is also the founder of the Mattinson Photography business.
