Tasted recently was a new chardonnay from Denmark, WA, which really impressed. Keith Graham’s very clear, creamy and elegant Harewood Estate Chardonnay 1998 is shortly to be released. Its lightly spicy grapefruit, apple, peach and cumquat fruit flavours are carefully matched with nutty, vanilla oak and are tightly bound with clean minerally acids. It finishes long and savoury and rates 18.3 (drink 2003-2006). Entirely fermented in 60% new and 40% once-used French oak, it has received only moderate levels of malolactic fermentation, lees contact and stirring to maintain a focus on the vineyard’s ability to deliver fine fruit flavours and acidity. Three hundred cases will be released to retail around $30. Otherwise you can buy direct from the winery for $286 per case plus freight.
