Austins Chardonnay 2012 (Geelong, Vic)
12.5%, Screwcap, $30
Source: Sample
www.austinswines.com.au

‘Pristine natural acidity’ says the label. ‘restrained’ and ‘light oak’ also feature. For mine, I think this wine just tips a little too far into restraint and heads toward austerity… 

A light golden straw colour, this shows, straw and hay over grapefruit on the nose, everything underplayed and quite lean. Conversely the palate starts lightly but gets a bit cheesy and forward through the middle, before heading back into blinding grapefruit acidity.

Not a bad wine, but I’m just not seeing the cohesion of flavours here.

Drink: 2014-2017
Score: 16.5/20, 88/100

Would I buy it? Not quite.