It could be a case of unconscious bias, but I\u2019ve never been keen on writing about the Dan Murphy\u2019s or BWS stable of highly promoted and often, overhyped reds and whites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leaving aside the big brands like Tyrells<\/a>, Penfolds<\/a>, McGuigan<\/a>, Taylors<\/a> and De Bortoli<\/a>, many of the wines found in a Dan\u2019s or BWS outlet are mass produced to a price point, rather than a level of quality. And if you suspect that many of their cheap and cheery brands are Woolworths\u2019 or Coles\u2019 owned and focused on margins, I reckon you\u2019re probably right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But one of the samples that recently arrived from a corporate PR company took me a little by surprise. Not only did its quality surpass my (admittedly low) expectations, but I discovered a back story which probably explains the pleasant surprise and goes to show that when it\u2019s in the blood, winemaking comes easily!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\nThe 2017 Once & Well Chardonnay<\/a> is a single varietal wine from the Margaret River <\/a>region in Western Australia. It\u2019s made by Freya Hohnen, the daughter of acclaimed Australian winemaker David Hohnen; whose claims to fame include being a founder of Cape Mentelle<\/a> in the Margaret River region and the now famous Cloudy Bay<\/a> in the Marlborough region<\/a> at the top of New Zealand\u2019s South Island. \n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s made by Freya Hohnen, the daughter of acclaimed Australian winemaker David Hohnen; whose claims to fame include being a founder of Cape Mentelle<\/a> in the Margaret River region and the now famous Cloudy Bay<\/a> in the Marlborough region<\/a> at the top of New Zealand\u2019s South Island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those brands are amongst the most recognised of their respective districts and are respected globally. So with that kind of pedigree, it\u2019s unsurprising that Freya knows how to make a decent chardy! These days, Freya makes wines alongside her partner, Ryan Walsh, under the Walsh & Sons<\/a> label, but it seems that the Once & Well chardonnay is an exception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So named after a favourite expression of Freya\u2019s famous father, the Once & Well has certainly done that \u2013 it\u2019s been done and very well at that! Masterfully crafted in the style of a light to medium bodied Margaret River Chardonnay, the wine has complexity, liveliness of fruit and nice acidity for balance. I won\u2019t pretend that it\u2019s the equal of a powerful Leeuwin Estate<\/a> or mouth-filling Moss Wood<\/a>, but at the $20 price point, you\u2019d hardly expect it to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the nose there\u2019s hints of lemon, lime and grapefruit, but once on the lips a hazelnut character emerges and dances with lychees and nectarines on the mid-palate before some seasoned oak melds through the conclusion. The balance is pretty good too with enough gentle acids to harness the fruit and restrain somewhat the pineapple pieces that seemingly impose themselves on the finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While it goes down well on its own, it\u2019s an obvious partner for apricot chicken or Chinese lemon chicken dishes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Given its freshness, the style isn\u2019t really one which cries out for time in the cellar, but for value it\u2019s certainly well above average. Well done Freya Hohnen \u2013 I reckon you\u2019ve made Dad proud!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Turns out a good chardonnay runs in the family genes It could be a case of unconscious bias, but I\u2019ve never been keen on writing about the Dan Murphy\u2019s or BWS stable of highly promoted and often, overhyped reds and whites. Leaving aside the big brands like Tyrells, Penfolds, McGuigan, Taylors and De Bortoli, many…
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