2022 Coddington Chardonnay
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Tasting notes
Tasted blind for Mission Blind Tasting series. Lightly flinty and mineral – elegant notes of reduction. Well-balanced use of new French oak – probably about 20% judging by the level of spice – perfectly matched to the moderate concentration of ripe yellow fruit. Light and tangy crème-fraîche finish and a slight salinity. Called Puligny-Montrachet. Tell for next time: this, perhaps, has a bit less earthiness than burgundy and a touch of ripe-fruit sweetness to the finish. But I won’t promise not to do this again! (SCJ)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
Sliced apple, apple, sea shell and crushed stone aromas follow through to a full body yet itâs tight and structured with an impressive fruit, acidic and phenolic balance giving it focus and intensity. Drinkable but better in a few years. Screw cap.
They have a lease for three more years on this vineyard which changed hands recently and they’re now managing the vines themselves to good effect. 25% new oak. Very pale straw. Rich and quite intense. With some savour and vibrancy. Lots of grip. Very bright fruit with good appeal and perhaps a bit less obviously sweet than in the past. (JR)
The 2022 Coddington Chardonnay leads with lemon balm/oil, green-olive brine, crème brûlée top (a.k.a. scorched brown sugar), peach fuzz, and an abundance of orchard fruit. In the mouth, kiwi fruit acidity (a.k.a. juicy, sweet, tart) defines the perimeters of the flavors and beckons you in for another, closer look. It's very, very good, a distinct wine, pure, all aspects delineated and deliberate. I like this. It feels orderly and mathematical. If the wine had a sound, it would be a straight-pace bowl at the wickets, one flying out of stumps (name a better sound, I'll wait). It's not that immediately obvious, though; it builds and takes a while to assert itself, and I like that too. Very good. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.