Toppers Mountain Bricolage Blanc 2013 (New England, NSW)

Toppers Mountain is, by a large measure, New England’s hero winery. The tablelands Clonakilla. A hotbed of fine wine in northern NSW.

Part of the interest with Toppers is the varietal mix, as the headline spread includes Nebbiolo, Petit Manseng, Chardonnay, Viognier, Tempranillo, Tannat, Barbera and Gewurtz making for a real grape salad.

Better still, this ‘garden’ is already kicking goals, with the Gewurtz in particular right up there with Australia’s best. It’s that good.

I’m not as sure about this 2013 Bricolage Blanc, but at the very least it is provocative. A blend of Chardonnay (60%), Gewurtz (20%), Petit Manseng and Sauv Blanc it smells fantastic, driven by musk (Gewurtz) peach (Chard) and the rest, with aromatics running riot.

If that fragrance married up to the palate this would be a superstar, with the grippy, phenolic palate seems just a little too dry and lean to be really great. Still, its clean and quite pure, with plenty of interest still to be had here. I just wish there was a little bit more fullness to really carry things off.

Good, almost great.