"Bill Spohn" > wrote in message
...
> 1995 Eileen Hardy Chardonnay - this wine was a killer when
young, but seemed to
> age prematurely. I have one friend that really likes aged
Chardonnay, so I
> pulled this out together with a backup for him. The
colour of a Madeira (and
> not a sercial!) really quite dark. The nose, which used to
feature lemon and
> vanilla, has turned to a luscious toasty caramel. In the
mouth it was well
> balanced and ended with a nice mineral note. It was old,
but good. We should
> all be able to say the same thing.
>
> 1994 Mondavi Carneros Chardonnay - not as dark in colour,
and the oak in the
> nose, which used to dominate, has finally melded into a
harmonious whole, with
> toast and lemon. In mid-palate, cleaner and not quite as
heavy, and the finish
> was oddly enough quite similar to the Australian wine,
with a definite mineral
> note you don't see very often in American Chardonnay.
Tasted blind, I'd have
> said this was the younger wine.
>
> Both wine were quite pleasant, although many people would
deem them over the
> hill. It takes a special sort of person to enjoy 'mature'
chards!

Bill - Re Eileen Hardy - Many Australian chardonnays suffer
from this premature ageing in my experience - even the
expensive ones. I don't know what accounts for it - possibly
overuse of oak along with excessive malolactic fermentation
and comparatively low acidity. I don't take the chance
nowadays and drink them within 2-3 years of vintage.
Unwooded chardonnays are of course another story.

Martin