2018 Hoddles Creek Syberia Chardonnay
Region: Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia
Grape: Chardonnay
Culinary Suggestions: Lobster/shellfish, aged cheeses or pasta in creamy sauce
About
Hoddles Creek Estate, established in 1997 by the D'Anna family, is a vineyard with a story that dates back to 1960. Situated on Gembrook Road and adjacent to Hoddles Creek, the vineyard's steeply sloping blocks mean mechanical harvesting is a no-go. So these guys do it the old-fashioned way, by hand, with each vine pruned and harvested with the utmost care and attention.
All their wines are single vineyard, estate grown, and made in their 300 tonne winery, constructed especially for the 2003 vintage. But that's not the best part. The barrel store's three metres underground, man! It's like something out of a Bond film.
These guys don't just talk the talk, they walk the walk. Their 10 hectares of pinot noir (with five different clones), 6 hectares of chardonnay, 1 hectare each of sauvignon blanc, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon, and 1.5 hectares of pinot gris are a testament to that. Hoddles Creek Estate is not just about the wine; it's about the passion and dedication that go into it. These guys are true believers in the art of winemaking, and you can taste it in every sip.
Tasting Notes
Syberia is one of the most umami of all Australian Chardonnay wines, which perhaps makes it a more polarising style. I lean more towards that style, rather than sweety noms, though I also don’t like wines that taste too much like cheese. And you think you’re confused? My head is a jungle. Franco, not trying to lead the witness, no doubt, says on the trade label that this is “In my Top 3 Chardonnay’s that I’ve made”. Franco is, of course, a popular name for dictators.
Green olives, preserved lemon, aniseed, roast chicken, lime and maybe green melon rind, though distinctly non-fruity, you’d have to say. It’s smooth and glossy, but flinty and firm, a pithy bitterness running through it, which cinches it in so nicely, and a finish that grips and runs very long. It’s not your average Chardonnay, which is why it’s so good.
96 points - Gary Walsh, The Wine Front May 2020
Drink: 2021 - 2028+
A very refined and elegant chardonnay that is so tightly wound. It has fleshed out a little in bottle and has a very seamless feel. Everything is melded. The aromas and flavors are in the lemon, grapefruit and white-peach realm with some gently minerally accents below. The palate has such intense and impressive drive and really hinges around a range of citrus flavors, from lemon to grapefruit, tangelo and kumquat. Stunning! Drink now. Screw cap.
96 points - jamessuckling.com August 2021