This chardonnay is from the north east of the Alto-Adige - Italy, the cooler region.

The wine is sold on the TF silver shield, the very finest label, vintage 2011. I found a clearance bottle for £7.50, it was warm from the in store lighting ! But I already had a bottle in stock from a very special TF offer case just after Christmas, that I was leaving on the rack for a while.

Hmmnn . . . the first glass was not going to move me away from Pouilly Fuisse, Vire Clesse or cheaper white Beaune. I thought the wine had texture, but not much structure, a bit soft actually, without structure (apart from the obvious prop from the oak), not at all racy, but some interest for sure.
As the evening wore on, the oak in this wine became more dominant and the fruit was subsiding. The nose was good all evening, but the peach and wild flowers were not represented in the flavour. The wine maker, the Cesconi brothers say that their wine will acquire more complexity over ten years, so I had higher hopes for this.

2nd day and oak dominates, the oak acquires a bitter twist on the mid palate, and is now out of kilter with the fruit. The wrong oak may have been used, perhaps new and too green, and the wine does not actually impress.
I think a decent Chilean chardonnay on day 2 would have been a more pleasurable wine. The wine was better straight out of the fridge.

I've really enjoyed chardonnay from the steep Alto Adige slopes, this one tries too hard, and does not deliver. If you left the wine for ten years to mature, you would find very little fruit left, it may actually be quite unlovely, a tad bitter and astringent.

Score = 6.5 / 10 - perhaps well chilled at one sitting with a shellfish pasta starter or pizza - not £15 I'm affraid, but it is different.

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Duncan

I've tried a bottle of this and wasn't overly blown away either Dunc
Unfortunately I gambled at the time and bought 6 bottles. Oh well, maybe we'll use it as an experiment to see if it holds the suggested 10 years...

Hi Shez,

Been on the heritage coast without a dongle.

All is not lost with your other 5. This Walter Mitti is best over chilled and served immediately after opening at one sitting. Like indifferent shampoo or other house wines in a restaurant. The chardonnay and some freshness does come through that way, without the overcomplicated other stuff. Texture is Ok, and the over chilling will make it a bit more thrilling. This Summer for BBQ will work with charred well seasonned and pepperred farmed trout.

Job done.

I would buy the Villa Maria reserve Clifford Bay MSB for £11.50 - but that's me.

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Duncan

Cheers Duncan
I'll give it a go well chilled over the summer months. May yet find some redeeming features

I figured you'd go with the VMCB. I'll try and stop by Sainsburys tonight to pick a few up before the offer ends