2015 Hamilton Russell Chardonnay

The 2015 Chardonnay has a touch of wild mint and aniseed on the nose that slightly detracts from the focus and tension. The palate is slightly bitter on the entry, then segues into a candied, popcorn and orange cordial mid-palate that just lacks a bit of nuance. It deteriorates in the glass and a second bottle is actually worse than the first. Tasted blind at the 10-Year-On horizontal in London.

(13.5% alcohol): Medium yellow with a faint gold tinge compared to the 2016 bottling. Riper and more forthcoming aromas of yellow peach, apple and minerals. Plush, silky and bone-dry, with broad, mouthfilling flavors of lemon and savory minerality. More glyceral than the 2016 version but also more spicy and phenolic on the finish, with its youthful dry edge calling for patience. This is more impressive, but the 2016 Chardonnay is more refined. Both vintages need some time to absorb their oak element.

The 2015 Chardonnay has quite a rich, slightly honeyed bouquet with hints of hazelnut and smoke developing in the glass. The palate is rounded on the entry with supple, lightly honeyed fruit. There are light tangerine and even marmalade notes towards the finish, quite tangy in the mouth with a pleasant twist of sour lemon on the finish that urges you back for another sip. Very fine, although I wager that it will be eclipsed by the 2016.