Henschke Croft Chardonnay 2018
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Winemaker Notes
Pale straw with green hues. Lifted and fragrant aromas of cut pear, white peach, nectarine, citrus and custard apple are supported by baking spices and toasted cashew. The palate shows richness and finesse with flavours of ripe peach and pear providing a fleshy textural quality, complemented by overtones of crème brûlée and oatmeal. These characters are beautifully balanced by fresh citrus acidity and subtle oak nuances, giving the wine depth and finishing with incredible length.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Attractive pear, apple, lemon curd and gun flint with lemon peel, as well as lime and white nectarine. The palate has a very composed feel with intense peach and grilled-almond flavors. Some pie crust to close. Lots to like here. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Subtle shadings of toasted grain accent pineapple and white nectarines in the 2018 Croft Chardonnay. All barrel fermented (typically in around 15% new oak), this is a medium to full-bodied, plump, generous wine in the mouth, with a fine, silky texture and lingering suggestions of pencil shavings and citrus on the finish. It should drink well for at least another five years, and possibly longer.
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Wine Enthusiast
Croft neatly displays the bright, fleshy fruit of the Adelaide Hills in this polished and age worthy-yet-drinkable Chard. There’s an abundance of melon, peach and red apple aromas on the nose, and some vanilla bean, too. The palate is equally fruity and full figured, the textural roundness buoyed by bright acidity. A well balanced wine for drinking now or until around 2029.
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Henschke is one of Australia’s leading winemakers and grapegrowers. Henschke is recognised for its rich heritage, innovative spirit and commitment to handcrafting exceptional wines for 150 years. The Henschke family’s grapegrowing and winemaking tradition spans six generations, from outstanding sustainable vineyards in Eden Valley, Barossa Valley and the Adelaide Hills. The small-medium wine business has an annual crush of 700 tonne and employs around 50 staff. Prue Henschke manages the 105 hectares of vineyard, spanning from Eden Valley to Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills wine region. Henschke is one of Australia’s leading winemakers and grapegrowers. Henschke is recognised for its rich heritage, innovative spirit and commitment to handcrafting exceptional wines for 150 years. The Henschke family’s grapegrowing and winemaking tradition spans six generations, from outstanding sustainable vineyards in Eden Valley, Barossa Valley and the Adelaide Hills. The small-medium wine business has an annual crush of 700 tonne and employs around 50 staff. Prue Henschke manages the 105 hectares of vineyard, spanning from Eden Valley to Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills wine region. Stephen and Prue continue to craft their white wines with a focus on purity, while their red wines have a strong focus on terroir, using traditional winemaking techniques.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
A narrow band of hills and valleys east of the city of Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills region is a diverse landscape featuring a variety of microclimates. In general it is moderate with high-altitude areas cooler and wetter compared to its warmer, lower areas.
Piccadilly Valley, the part of Adelaide Hills closest to the city, was first staked out by a grower named Brian Croser, in the 1970s for a cool spot to grow Chardonnay, then uncommon in Australia. Today a good amount of the Chardonnay goes to winemakers outside of the region.
Producers here experiment with other cool-climate loving aromatic varieties like Pinot Gris, Viognier and Riesling. Charming sparkling wine is also possible. On its north side, lower, west-facing slopes make full-bodied Shiraz.