Mike Press draws on over four decades winemaking experience for names including Penfolds, Seppelt and Krondorf. Several years ago, he set about making his own wines from fruit grown at his Kenton Valley vineyard in the Adelaide Hills. Originally, the fruit was destined to supply various labels of larger companies, but the wine glut and crash in prices left Press with little alternative but to make and sell the wines himself at, to quote ‘unheard of prices’.
Various plaudits have followed. Press Wines have been a seemingly permanent fixture on the annual Halliday Top 100 list, and they have met with favourable critical response in other quarters.
The 2011 Mike Press Single Vineyard Chardonnay is priced at just $11. Bottled at a modest 12% ABV, it sees no wood, and is the antithesis of the worked 100% malo/100% barrel ferment Australian Chardonnay of old (of course, at this price level, one can’t afford to employ the full tricks of the winemaking trade, least of all expensive oak barrels).
What we have is a clean yet relatively simple and straightforward Chardonnay for glugging back in a relaxed environment. Arguably, this is a Chardonnay for Sauvignon Blanc drinkers – no oak, no creamy mouthfeel – it is a Chardonnay that can easily be drunk on its own. While it might not be the most challenging or captivating Chardonnay around, if it wins back a few drinkers to the Chardonnay grape, it has done its job.
2011 SINGLE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY
Producer: Mike Press Wines
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2011
Region: Adelaide Hills, South Australia
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $11.00
Date tasted: 19 February 2011
Tasting Note:
Very pale silvery lemon. Clean nose of guava, green apples and white peaches. Relatively simple and straightforward fruit driven palate, characters much the same as the nose. There’s just modest complexity, but it lingers on the palate.
Score: 15/20
Various plaudits have followed. Press Wines have been a seemingly permanent fixture on the annual Halliday Top 100 list, and they have met with favourable critical response in other quarters.
The 2011 Mike Press Single Vineyard Chardonnay is priced at just $11. Bottled at a modest 12% ABV, it sees no wood, and is the antithesis of the worked 100% malo/100% barrel ferment Australian Chardonnay of old (of course, at this price level, one can’t afford to employ the full tricks of the winemaking trade, least of all expensive oak barrels).
What we have is a clean yet relatively simple and straightforward Chardonnay for glugging back in a relaxed environment. Arguably, this is a Chardonnay for Sauvignon Blanc drinkers – no oak, no creamy mouthfeel – it is a Chardonnay that can easily be drunk on its own. While it might not be the most challenging or captivating Chardonnay around, if it wins back a few drinkers to the Chardonnay grape, it has done its job.
Producer: Mike Press Wines
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2011
Region: Adelaide Hills, South Australia
ABV: 12.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $11.00
Date tasted: 19 February 2011
Tasting Note:
Very pale silvery lemon. Clean nose of guava, green apples and white peaches. Relatively simple and straightforward fruit driven palate, characters much the same as the nose. There’s just modest complexity, but it lingers on the palate.
Score: 15/20
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