Tasting Notes - Oliver / Mike Peterkin Chardonnay Master Class

Tasted last month at 'Sails on the Bay' as part of a trade gig. A very well run event with both Oliver and Peterkin excellent, knowledgable speakers. Interestingly room consensus was such that the younger vintage for each respctive wine seemed to win out in each 'head to head'.

Ultimately it was sheer class of the Giaconda that won out over the other wines but nevertheless each had something to contribute. The exception was the Bannockburn, with both vintages looking sadly out of class. Oliver did make the observation that 2 consecutive drought years in 2001 and 2003 may have taken their toll on the vines.

Mike Peterkin seems very much on top of his craft and the Pierro's showed well. Some of his key points raised included:

(1) 2002 in Margaret River was cool, paving the way for some attractive aromatic whites, whilst 2003 was a richer, riper year, no doubt better suiting the Pierro house style.

(2) Climatic and viticulture factors of key bearing on Pierro: low day/night variation helps for an even ripening, the nearby coast is crucial in moderating the climate and north/south facing rows appear to achieve the best results.

(3) Winemaking techniques include: wholebunch ferment, handpicking, use of the Gin Gin clone, use of French oak to enhance structure, MLF and lees contact to up the complexity levels.

Petaluma 2001 (1st bracket - 2nd ranked) (Recommended)
Pale gold, looks very youthful for a 3yr old. Subtle nose yet has a sense of underlying power, slightly sweet. Big mouthfeel with very ripe melons, tangy, a touch hot. There's some spicy oak in the background. Would have picked this as a wine from MR.

Petaluma 2000 (2nd bracket - 3rd)
Medium gold with a green tinge. Looks fairly young. Soft fruits on nose, quite balanced, very varietal. In the mouth a much more overt fruity wine than the 2001, and feels smack bang in the middle of the optimal drinking window. Back palate is a little tart, and whilst keeping the wine tight dues detract a little from the core of pure fruit. Again a little heat on the finish.

Petaluma Tiers 2001 (1st bracket - 4th) (Recommended)
Very similar in colour to the standard 2001. Much more oak on the nose, quite dominant and almost candy like. Classy nevertheless. Palate feel is all about structure, not obvious sweet fruit. More oak and nice burnt matchstick notes. Again very classy a wee bit tight right now. Needs another year but travelling ok.

Petaluma Tiers 2000 (2nd brack - 2nd) (Recommended)
Great lift of pristine fruit on the nose and very little oak is evident. Best nose of the tasting. Shows good balance in the mouth, nice feel. Primary fruit not as evident as in the 2001. A fraction weak in palate weight but otherwise very impressive. Great wine but a tough call at $100 given the quality of the $40 base model.

Bannockburn 2002 (1st bracket - 6th)
Again near identical hues to the 2001 Petalumas. Nose is quite lifted and a touch funky. Some fragrant spicy oak but essentially fruit driven. A little disjointed in the mouth, some upfront sweet fruit but does fall away noticably. Some heat, burns a little. Underlying oak is nice but this wine does not show the balance of the Petalumas.

Bannockburn 2001 (2nd bracket - 6th)
Identical appearance to the 2002. Good bouquet lift, again a little funky, but really quite nice. Once again angular in the mouth, fruit profile jumps all over the place. Raw oak intrudes as well and dries out the back palate. Right out of class in this tasting.

Pierro 2002 (1st bracket - 4th)
Pale gold / melon in the glass. Looks very youthful. Lifted fruity nose, powerful with some heat. Good 'length'. Some more overt oak in the mouth, nice and spicy, drives the powerful length. No doubt needs more time for the fruit to express itself better.

Pierro 2001 (2nd bracket - 4th)
Pale gold (at best) very very young hue. Similar nose to the 2002 but absolute fruit power and oak lift not quite as intense. Powerful palate but fruit profile is a little simple. Starts out with sweet friut but then jumps suddenly to a spicy oak finish. Good fun, and perhaps the most gluggable of the wines.

Leeuwin 2001 (1st bracket - 3rd) (Recommended)
Pale gold hue, youngest looking of the 2001's. Light, quite floral nose. Excellent lift and penetrating vapour. Best nose of the bracket. Much more powerful in the palate than the bouquet suggests. strong wine, long finish with some heat. Lots of stonefruit and melon, not the tropical fruit bowl the nose suggests. Very young.

Leeuwin 2000 (2nd bracket - 5th)
Looks brand new in the glass, no signs of development. A bit simple on the nose, slightly sweet fruit and oak. Nonetheless good feel and lift. Powerful fruity palate, more heat, plenty of upfront fruit but does fall flat in the middle, a rela let down particulaely given expectations.

Giaconda 2002 (1st bracket - 1st) (Recommended)
Looks a little developed for a 2yr old with more deeper gold hues. Very little obvious fruit on the nose, quite stern, firm and oaky. Euro feel. All encompassing palate, hits every point of the mouth. Excellent nutty notes - screams class. Oak is not obtrusive. Ultimately needs time as the wine, despite its obvious appeal, feels restrained and tight. Must have at least 4 years ahead of it.

Giaconda 2001 (2nd bracket - 1st) (Recommended)
Much younger looking than the 2002 - pale gold. Big nose lift, and seems much more fruit driven than the 2002. Very attractive and backed by some nice spicy wood. Awesome palate - seems forward with powerful sweet fruit - and classy oak drives the length. Can't see this one hanging around for years. Perhaps bets drunk 2004 - 2006.