PRE-ARRIVAL: Lingua Franca Bunker Hill Chardonnay 2016
If this is your first foray into US chardy, and you’re looking for something distinctly American tasting - this is it. It’s a big, rich, buttery style, generous in flavour and complexity, that’s nonetheless very well balanced. The bottle may have travelled a great way, but it’s not such a leap for the palate as to be challenging for Aussies. There’s plenty that’s recognisable if you like Margs, for example, but it’s also different enough to make for a bloody exciting experience. It’s a hands-down cracking investment for the future, too. Top critics give this as much at a decade of cellar potential, so there’s no rush to put it to use. Grabbing a case or two now guarantees amazing drinking for years to come.
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Please note: We expect this wine to hit our warehouse by Monday 19 August 2019. Place your order as normal and we’ll dispatch it to you as soon as it arrives.
Reviews
International Wine Report
“First planted in 1995, the Bunker Hill Vineyard is located in the Salem Hills and receives winds from the Pacific Ocean through the Van Duzer Corridor. The resultant wine starts off with aromas of vanilla, peat moss, and ripe pineapple. The minerality and intensity to this wine is highly satisfying, as is the richness and brightness that shines through. Poached pear, marzipan, crème brulée and apricot flavors come to mind as the wine showcases an exotic edge.”
It’s cool, we get it, you want to know absolutely everything about this wine. Well here you go, go nuts.
Specs
- Region
- Oregon
- Vintage
- 2016
- Cellaring
- 2024
- Preservatives
- Sulphites
- Alcohol by Vol.
- 13.0%
- Closure
- Cork
- Bottle Vol
- 750mL
- Blend Info
- 100% Chardonnay
- Serving Temp.
- 10.0°C
Tasting
From the producer
The aroma is complex with layers of mineral, smoke, herbs. It has a distinctly lifted flavor and intensity. The wine is crunchy, racy and complex on the palate. A lasting finish of citrus, herbs, and white flowers concludes with flinty, mouthwatering minerality, that has intensity but floats on the tongue.
Winemaking
Viticulture
BHV Chardonnay is exclusively from Salem’s Bunker Hill, with 20-year-old CH76 vines on pure Nekia soils at an altitude of around 800 feet. BHV, the only west facing vineyard we work with, is exposed directly to the cooling ocean winds of the Van Duzer corridor.
Crafting
The grapes were picked to maximize freshness and tension in the finished wine. Whole cluster pressed, settled in tank for 24 hours on average, barrel fermented in a combination of 20% new, 600 liter puncheons and 80% old French oak barriques from diverse coopers and left to age for 11 months. Full malolactic fermentation completed in each vessel and then the wines were put back in tank with their lees for five months prior to bottling.
The rules are there ain’t no rules, but here are some foods we think will work pretty well with this wine...
Goes with
Potato roesti with smoked salmon
Ingredients
- 800g royal blue potatoes, peeled
- 1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil
- 1/2-1 tsp horseradish cream, or to taste
- 100g spreadable cream cheese
- 1 bunch rocket, leaves torn
- 200g sliced smoked salmon
- 1 tbs finely chopped chives
Directions
- Coarsely grate potatoes into a sieve placed over a bowl.
- Season potatoes to taste with salt and pepper. Using your hands, squeeze out any excess moisture from grated potatoes.
- Heat 1 tbs oil in a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches and adding more oil when needed, add heaped tablespoonfuls of potato mixture to pan, flattening to form 8cm rounds. Cook roesti for 1 1/2 minutes each side or until crisp and golden.
- Drain roesti on paper towels. Place horseradish cream and cream cheese in a bowl and stir until smooth. Divide roesti among plates. Top with rocket, smoked salmon and a spoonful of cream cheese mixture. Scatter with chives then season to taste. Serve immediately.
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