Would you look at that sunshine?

Day 2 of judging at the 2024 Winewise Championships dawned with a crisp Canberran day, which proved ideal for me to run up Mt Ainslie, scare a few roos (which weren’t really scared or keen to move) and take bad photos.

Today’s main business was judging the Chardonnay, Cabernet, Pinot Gris and ‘Other Whites’ classes, with the Chardonnay brackets seriously impressive (Australian Chardonnay is flying) and the 2020, ’21 and ’22 Cab classes overflowing with well-balanced reds (including the three below). A Gruner class after lunch was disappointing, and the less said about the Pinot Gris brackets, the better…

Meanwhile, last night’s dinner was at La Cantina in Narrabundah, which had boring antipasti, good pizza, indifferent service and ok tiramisu.

A varied drinking diet was on the cards for the evening, with plenty of Italian flavour

I really enjoyed this Chartogne-Taillet Champagne, which had an artisan level of complexity with real purity. It’s not wildly expensive, either.

By comparison, the Dom looked achingly young, to the point of overt leanness. Purity, yes, and yes it will live for another decade, but I would take the Chartogne, thanks. Then again, Dom often leaves me wanting more (give me Krug any day), but this current release ’13 is especially backward.

The Foradori Manzoni was a huge letdown too, looking grubby and flat rather than a textural and defined skin contact white. A rare Foradori miss.

No. missing with this magnum of Fontodi, which was seriously great. Driven by mouthwatering tannins and this meaty, hearty, mushroomy richness, it was Sangiovese of such substance and savoury magnificence that I immediately thought about how little Chianti/Brunello I now own. The tiramisu couldn’t top it either (less cream, more biscuit needed).

Meanwhile, with another day in the bag, it’s time for a crisp Bentspoke…