The funny thing about trying to maintain a blog about the wine I drink is that I am not usually at home when I am enjoying that first glass for the evening.  I toyed briefly with getting a little notebook and having that as my wine review book, but honestly, the mental image alone of me carefully making notes in a little notebook, while sipping and squinting into the mid-distance, was so pretentious that I had to force myself to wear some acidwash jeans to bring myself back down to Earth. So, instead, I write down notes on whatever’s handy: the back of an old envelope, a scrap of notepaper, a receipt — I find them in pockets the next day, or stuffed into my wallet weeks later, or at the bottom of my handbag.  It can sometimes be a bit of an exercise to translate my handwriting, and sometimes a strain to recall what it was I liked about a particular wine, but I think my note-taking skills are improving.

Today’s review is from a few nights ago: I discovered my notes on a piece of paper in the pocket of my jeans, unearthed when I was emptying said pockets to wash said jeans.   And it all came flooding back: this was a pretty fine wine.  The Evans & Tate is a pony in the McWilliam’s stable, based in Margaret River. This chardonnay was a classic, medium-bodied chardonnay.  The scent has light upper notes of lemongrass, which is also present on the first notes on the palate.  There is a delicate citrus tone which smoothly gives way to rich, buttery, oaky notes.  It’s beautifully classic, really embodying wooded chardonnay (to my mind).  The mouthfeel is unbelievably smooth, without being oily or cloying.  Very nice indeed!