Review: Voyager Estate 2011 Chardonnay `Project Gin Gin'

Voyager Estate 2011 Chardonnay `Project Gin Gin', Margaret River, $55

There would be some who might question whether the climate at Margaret River is suited to chardonnay. In its traditional home in France, it grows nowhere near the coast. It also grows alongside its sibling, pinot noir, and no-one would suggest that pinot noir is as well suited to the coastal Margaret River climate as chardonnay.

So it comes down to a freakish selection of clone. In the east, it's known as Mendoza In the west they call it Gin Gin. It's a clone responsible for some of the best chardonnay fruit in Margaret River and it's used exclusively in Voyager Estate's limited release, Chardonnay `Project Gin Gin'.

This is a gorgeous wine, layered in flavours and textures. There's a lively backbone of grapefruit freshness to the palate that backs up savoury nougat and complex barrel characters. It's both elegant and fine, while still having powerful focused fruit characters.

I tried it earlier this year in a masked tasting alongside some of the best chardonnay in the world and it was my top wine, so now that we're into December, I can say it's one of the best wines I have tried all year.

Fergus McGhie is sales and marketing manager at Mount Majura Vineyard in Canberra.