Yarra Valley, part 1
The wines of Tony Jordan at Domaine Chandon/Green Point, Yarra Valley, Australia

The wines

Domaine Chandon Green Point NV
With this style Tony Jordan is trying to get some age into the reserves by using a solera-style system. For the reserve wines both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are used. The NV is a Chardonnay-led blend with 30% reserve wine, and it’s fresh, bright and fruity with good balance. Nice delicacy; quite fruity. Very good+ 88/100 (9 g/litre residual sugar)

Domaine Chandon Green Point Brut Vintage 2002
The coldest vintage that the Yarra has had in a long time resulted in some great sparkling wines. 55% Pinot Noir with no pressings. Quite focused, this is tight and yeasty with a hint of smokiness and some toasty characters. Tight, complex palate with focused dense fruit and good acidity. Very good/excellent 92/100 (6 g/litre residual sugar)

Domaine Chandon Green Point ZD Blanc de Blancs 2002
This is a bit of a geeks wine: sealed with a crown cap it has zero dosage (hence ZD). Tight, focused nose with a subtle herby edge. The palate is tight and savoury with a dry character and some herbiness showing. A lovely wine. Very good/excellent 92/100 (0 g/litre residual sugar)

Domaine Chandon Green Point Blanc de Blancs 2002
Lovely bright, fresh palate is quite focused with lovely clarity and balance. Rounded, fruity and crisp. Nicely complex. Very good/excellent 91/100

Domaine Chandon Green Point Tasmanian Cuvée 2002
Quite a fresh, complex perfumed nose with bright lemony notes. Nice lemony freshness on the palate which is distinctively fruity with a hint of greenness in the background and some finesse. Very good/excellent 91/100

Domaine Chandon Green Point Rosé 2002
Pale salmon colour. Nice soft strawberryish fruit with nice herby complexity. Quite rich and soft. This has more vinosity too it, with a hint of tannin. A really lovely food wine of real class. Very good/excellent 92/100

Domaine Chandon Green Point Pinot Shiraz NV
A sparkling red from the 2003 vintage, this has a lovely ripe meaty edge to the nuanced red and black fruits. Really expressive and well balanced. Very good/excellent 91/100

Domaine Chandon Green Point Cuvée Extra Riche
With 120 g/litre residual sugar (sugared-up botrytized Semillon is used as the dosage). Sweet melony fruit on the nose. Nice peachy, apricotty palate: sweet but balanced. Quite complex. Very good/excellent 90/100

Domaine Chandon Green Point Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2005 Victoria
Bright aromatic fruit here with nice green grassiness. Lovely weight and freshness on the palate. Delicious stuff: quite serious. Very good/excellent 90/100

Domaine Chandon Green Point Chardonnay 2004
According to Tony Jordan, for years they’d been getting Chardonnay wrong by pushing flavour ripeness, making big Chardonnays and then going through malolactic fermentation in addition to using new barrels. Since 2002 they’ve moved to picking earlier, using less oak and allowing less malolactic fermentation. 20% wild yeast ferment is also employed. This wine has focused fruit on the nose with some citrus freshness and a bit of toasty oak. The palate is rich, concentrated and tightly wound with lovely fruit and some toasty oak in the background. Very good/excellent 91/100

Domaine Chandon Green Point Reserve Chardonnay 2003
Rich, concentrated toasty nutty nose with luscious fruit and some lemony notes. Great concentration on the palate which is rich and full, bold and balanced. A big, rich style but with focus and potential. Very good/excellent 93/100

Pinot Noir fermenting, with an automated punch down device

Domaine Chandon Green Point Reserve Pinot Noir 2003
Tony Jordan remarks that this wine has the classic Yarra cherry character. ‘We’re coming up to speed with the newer clones’, he says. ‘Now we need to add the next layer.’ Lovely focused nose of bright, expressive cherry fruit with some earthiness. The palate is open and balanced with good acid and some structure. Quite expressive. Very good/excellent 91/100

Domaine Chandon Green Point Shiraz 2004 Victoria
Lovely dark colour. Brilliant nose is fantastically perfumed with focused floral dark fruits. The palate shows bright dark fruits and lovely structure. Nice acidity and great concentration. Quite elegant. Very good/excellent 92/100

Domaine Chandon Green Point Reserve Yarra Valley 2004
Perfumed, rich nose with some white pepper and floral notes. The palate is concentrated and focused with lovely soft tannins and amazing elegance of dark fruits. Nicely complex, this is brilliant stuff. Very good/excellent 94/100

Domaine Chandon Green Point Reserve Yarra Valley 2003
Spicy, chocolatey tarry edge to the ripe dark fruits. Concentrated, rich palate with nice richness and some boldness. Very good/excellent 92/100  

Go to Part 1, Tony Jordan and Domaine Chandon

Wines tasted 03/06
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