Mac Forbes Woori Yallock Chardonnay 2017

Compared to the Hoddles Creek wine, this shows a touch more ‘puppy fat’ as Mac calls it, being a touch fleshier and with a bit more primary fruit showing at this early stage. Woori Yallock Chardonnays of past vintages have always maintained a firm and direct line of acidity so it is expected that this primary fruit will meld into the wine very nicely with another 6 months in bottle. This wine always reminds me of great Chablis: there is a lot of muscle and concentration with plenty of ripe fruit (most importantly) but the wine does not go down the richer, creamy/nutty path that a lot of Australian wine follows. Rather this is more citrus-fruit driven with high-toned acidity and a saline character to the back half of the wine which I love. Fruit is closer to white peach and green apple in flavour rather than golden peach or apricot. Put simply, the 2017 vintage has delivered a wine of ample fruit weight and great intensity without compromising the linearity and drive that Mac’s whites are known for. – Ches Cook, FWC.