With its light toasty, bready flavours, the Koonunga Hill is a little oakier than the Rawson's Retreat above, although ever so subtle and not at all overpowering. Stone and pip fruits and a hint of butterscotch make this a pleasurable drink for light dishes. I think it is a winner. The Valleys Chardonnay . Grapes are sourced from the Clare and Eden Valleys for this rich, bready wine with lemon and spicy oak.
Good fruit carries through in the palate.
Some classy winemaking techniques show in this wine with pears, figs, nuts and subtle butter flavours. It is creamy and smooth with a lively finish and juicy fruits. It is a wine that can withstand quite rich foods as later we were served this wine with a Five Spice Duck Terrine, wrapped in banana crepe with a Cucumber and soybean pickle and white bean aioli. Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay is what we were meant to taste, but the NZ Customs Department were having a good look, we were told, so while the cases of Yattarna 98 sat on the Auckland wharves, we tried the 1997 of the last years release. I noted in the release notes of the 98, however, they'd done away with the 'A' on the label, as in 95A of the initial release.