Find the Best Hunter Valley Chardonnay at Summer Hill Wine Shop

Could the Hunter Valley Chardonnay from Lake’s Folly be the best Chardonnay in Australia?

If you can’t get to the Hunter Valley region for cellar door wine tastings, you can still enjoy the region’s depth of flavour and class at home. Summer Hill Wine Shop is thrilled to be reviewing the newly released 2019 Lake’s Folly Chardonnay.

Australian Chardonnay is some of the absolute best in the world thanks to our diverse climate and highly skilled and passionate winemakers.

Read on to discover the history of the family-owned Lake’s Folly, what to expect when you take your first sip – and how to get your bottles.

Australian Chardonnay

Chardonnay has become synonymous with Australian wine for several reasons. The first being, it is incredibly resilient. No matter the weather changes or natural disasters vineyards face, chardonnay bounces back(*1).

As the father of Chardonnay, James Busby(*2) said, no same vine will produce the exact same fruits when grown in different climatic conditions. As such, the Chardonnay of each region in Australia is unique.

A classic Australian Chardonnay shouldn’t be over-oaked or present under or over-ripe fruits(*3). Chardonnay should be restrained and balanced. Look for Chardonnay that is elegant and which stimulates the palate with opulent fruit.

Hunter Valley Chardonnay

The humid and warm climate and mountain slopes of the Hunter Valley are home to some of Australia’s oldest vineyards and is the birthplace of Chardonnay in Australia(*4). The region may be small, but it is well-known throughout the world for making award-winning wines.

Lake’s Folly

Lake’s Folly was the very first boutique winery established in the Hunter Valley. This was in 1963 when Dr Max Lake and his family started what would be a business spanning multiple generations(*5).

Only the highest quality and purest of fruits matured in the finest oak barrels can be made into Chardonnay that can cellar well for extended periods(*6). Lake’s Folly is one such producer of Chardonnay that flourishes over time. The estate’s fine winemaking skills were recently acknowledged in the industry revered James Halliday Wine Companion(*7). Lake’s Folly was awarded the ‘top 5-star winery’ over 2800 other wineries.

95/100 – 2019 Lake’s Folly Chardonnay

The flagship Chardonnay from Lake’s Folly is 100% estate-grown fruit, produced in very limited quantities and vintaged on-site. Being a traditional style Chardonnay, it spends about eight months in French oak barriques(*8).

A score of 95/100 fully supports the vineyards claims that the 2019 vintage release is just as good (if not better) as past years(*9).

Blend: Chardonnay reminiscent of a classic burgundy.

Bouquet: Minerality, vanilla bean, and passionfruit subtly complement an array of stone fruits.

Palate: Stone fruits lead followed by good oak complexity and richness – all are finely balanced.

Structure and finesse herald in this restrained, elegant, and complex chardonnay from Lake’s Folly.

Where to Buy

Buy your bottle of Lake’s Folly Chardonnay from Summer Hill Wine Shop. Get in quick because as the vintages are made in limited quantities, they do sell out extremely quickly.

Lake’s Folly Chardonnay is a classy drop worthy of the most lustrous cellars.

Mix and match your selections of sparkling, rosés, reds and whites from Australia and some of the best imports from around the world. Have your entire order ready to pick up or get it delivered straight to your door.

We asked if the Hunter Valley Chardonnay from Lake’s Folly could be the best in Australia?

Order your bottles and let us know your thoughts when you visit the store or online.

We’d love to hear from you!

References

*1. Wine Australia. Chardonnay: The Making of an Australian Legend. 2020.
*2. Busby, J. A Treatise on the Culture of the Vine, and the Art of Making Wine. R. Howe. 1825.
*3. Caillard, A in Wine Genius. Australia’s Top 20 Chardonnays. N.d.
*4. NSW Wine. Hunter Valley. 2020.
*5. Lake’s Folly. Lake’s Folly Wine. 2020
*6. Wine Guide Australia. Chardonnay: Australian White Wine. 2020.
*7. Lake’s Folly. Top 5 Star Winery: James Halliday Wine Companion. Press Release. 2020.
*8. Summer Hill Wine Shop. 2019 Lake’s Folly Chardonnay Hunter Valley. 2020.
*9. Kempe, R. New Vintage Releases: 2018 Cabernets & 2019 Chardonnay. Press release. 2020.