Louis Latour Agencies

Ray Jordan admiring McHenry Hohnen's 2021 Chardonnays

15 June 2023

Ray Jordan reviewed the 2021 single vineyard Chardonnays recently in the Business News, highly praising the biodynamic approach and the likness of Premier and Grand cru vineyards of Burgundy.

Below are his tasting notes and scores:

 

McHenry Hohnen Calgardup Brook Vineyard chardonnay 2021 

A wine with a pristine purity that is part of the vineyard DNA. There’s a delightfully fresh pastry-like character without the butterscotch. It has a lip-smacking salinity which is from the vineyard. The short rows of the vineyard have super-low yields and they are from cuttings off Leeuwin’s famous Block 20, so the bunches are very small. The fruit centration is superb with a pear and jasmine character that lifts off the nose with a distinctive flinty character with a light talcy influence.

Score: 97/100

Cellar: 12 years

McHenry Hohnen Hazel’s Vineyard chardonnay 2021

This has a lovely aroma of floral notes with some savouriness, while being very powerful and precise at the same time. Has a touch of breadcrust character, which comes from the very small amount of malolactic fermentation. There is a lot of power and intensity in the middle palate but retains a vibrant crunchy mouth feel. Has a tart nectarine and mandarin line with a slight nougat and almond character.The palate is energised with a zingy acidity.

Score: 97/100

Cellar: 14 years

McHenry Hohnen Burnside Vineyard chardonnay 2021 

There is a very strong influence of the soil and slope of this vineyard, which has never been irrigated. The fruit comes off the top eight rows at the top of the vineyard and there is also a section of UC Davis clones from another eight rows in the middle, adding the richer pastry nougat characters. It’s a rich and generous wine but retains that fine chalky acidity. Has a slightly savoury element with some nice lemon pastry.

Score: 98/100

Cellar: 15 years

 

Ray Jordan is one of Australia’s most experienced and respected wine journalists, contributing to newspapers and magazines over more than 40 years. In 2017 he co-authored The Way it Was: The History of the early years of the Margaret River Wine Region