Tod Dexter rose to prominence in Australia during his ten year stint as winemaker at Stonier Vineyard, alonside Brian Stonier. During this period, Dexter helped produce what, at the time, was some of the only truly premium chardonnay and pinot noir in the country. Dexter left Stonier to become a founding winemaker at Mornington neighbour Yabby Lake, which quickly established a reputation for producing some of the finest wines in the region.
Previous to Stonier, Dexter served a seven year apprenticeship working in California's Napa Valley. He returned to Australia in the late 80s, and after an extensive search, he and his wife purchased a vineyard site at Merricks North on the Mornington Peninsula and planted their first 1.6 hectares of chardonnay and pinot noir.
Tod has since left Stonier and Yabby Lake, but, thankfully for wine drinkers, stills owns his now 25 year old vineyard. It is from these hand-harvested vines that Dexter chardonnay is produced.
Only 625 dozen were made in 2010, fermented and matured in 20% new and 80% second, third and fourth use French oak barriques.
This is a superb, modern Australian chardonnay. It has powerful, complex flavours, but finesse and structure. It avoids the trap of trying to imitate Chablis, or Burgundy. It is, simply, a brilliant Mornington Peninsula chardonnay. It is world-class. It shows why, outside of the Grands Crus of Burgundy, Australia grows the best chardonnay in the world.
Here's what one of Australia's most respected wine critics, Huon Hooke, had to say about it:
"This beautiful chardonnay is medium to full yellow with overt smoky, charcuterie and hazelnut aromas, including creamy lees-aged characters. Medium to full bodied, intense, with layers of flavour, then taut and lingering at the finish. Now to ten years. 13.5 per cent alcohol. Rated: 95/100. Food: grilled crayfish."
Huon Hooke, Sydney Morning Herald Good Living, 24-4-2012
Tod Dexter's "Beautiful" Chardonnay 2010
posted by Julian Gutierrez in Australia, Chardonnay, Victoria, Whites
