Welcome

Welcome

This is a resource for people who want to buy an interesting bottle of wine on a budget of about $20. If you get lost between Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon and have access to a Dan Murphy's or Vintage Cellars (or Aldi, as of 2015!), you've come to the right place. Where possible, wines are listed with their single-bottle price from DM/VC/A and the winery's home page.

A good place to start is the 'Index', or if you know what type of wine you want, head straight to the 'Recommended Reds', 'Worthy Whites' or 'Stunning Sparklers' that only show 4 & 5☆ wines.

Your experience will be different to everyone else's, which makes wine such a pleasure. The same vintage wine at different ages will be distinct, as will the same aged wines from different vintages. What the glass holds is a unique parcel of time that should be enjoyed as such.

Friday 28 June 2013

(W) Paul Mas Estate: "Nicole Vineyard" Chardonnay 2012, from Hérault Valley, Languedoc, France

Smell
Before & After: Sweet grasses with a bit of minerality.

Taste
The golden straw colour of such a young wine serves as a warning of oak, which is quite welcome on a winter night. This is certainly not pretending to be a crisp and clean Chablis style Chardy and feels ~2 years too young to have developed the rich buttery mouthfeel that brought oaky Chards renown in the 80s.
Secondary to the abundant oak and subsequent vanillin are tart citrus flavours of caramalised cumquats and surprisingly some of the tropical & white-fleshed orchard fruit flavours that are expected of a Gewürztraminer.
As the wine breathes, the oak avalanche retreats nicely to sit as one of several layers in this most intriguing wine. Worth buying for the experience.

Tale
The Mas Family has been growing grapes in the Languedoc region since 1892. In 2000, Jean Claude Mas inherited 35ha of vines and founded Domaines Paul Mas in honour of his father. Of JC's brands, most Aussies will know the irreverent Arrogant Frog line of wines. Château Paul Mas now spreads over two estates, from the historical castle in Conas, near Pézenas to the Nicole vineyard near Montagnac. As owner and chief winemaker, JC lives and makes wine according to the philosophy of Rural Luxury, aiming to combine innovation and tradition to craft great, authentic and affordable wines.

Price: $14
Quality: ☆☆☆☆
Value:   ☆☆☆☆

http://www.paulmas.com/paulmas/en/wine.php?idvin=35
http://danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_911468/paul-mas-estate-chardonnay


Drank by

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