Kooyong Wines

Drinks Chat
#21

At least the online event was free… :slightly_smiling_face:

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#22

Question for any members with experience of Kooyong wines: how have you found drinking windows?

I have a mixed case in reserves which has 4 of the 2018 single vineyard wines (+2 2019s, Clonale and Massale). Contemplating taking them out and drinking at some point in the next 6 months, but wondering if I would be doing the wines a disservice by doing so. Are there any significant gains to be had by waiting another year? Obviously the wines will develop over the longer term, but I don’t intend on waiting 3+ years for them to develop a more aged character - I’m more wondering if, at this point, they’re likely to still have not quite come together fully yet even as a youngish wine.

#23

I only have experience with the chardonnay, I’d say the Clonale is pretty accessible from the get go, but the single vineyard (Farrago, Faultline etc) definitely benefit from a bit more time in bottle. I like them at about 4-5 years.

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#24

In my limited experience @mpreston91 comments apply to their pinot noir too. The Massale is a lovely bottle to enjoy young ( but will happily age for 5+ years ). There’s much to enjoy in the vineyard wines too when they’re young but their subtle differences become more obviously apparent after 5+ years or so.

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#25

Thanks both for your useful comments, now I will commence the internal battle of how patient am I (/how able am I to distract myself with other things)!

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#26

In regards to drinking windows on the Kooyongs -
I rate WineFront in Australia’s views pretty highly and this is what they have indicated…

Kooyong Massale Pinot Noir 2019 - 91/100, drink 2020-24
Kooyong Clonale Chardonnay 2019 - 92/100, drink 2020-24
Kooyong Faultline Chardonnay 2018 - 93/100, drink 2022-29+
Kooyong Meres Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018 - 93/100, drink 2021-26+
Kooyong Haven Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018 - 89/100, drink 2020-25
Kooyong Farrago Chardonnay 2018 - 93/100, drink 2020-26

These guys are not 100pt givers like some critics

The reason the Haven PN got marked down was due to being “a little too light and tangy, certainly fresh, well structured – but you can see the bones too clearly.”

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#27

Looks like some Kooyong appeared on the list this morning

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#28

Just revisiting a bit of research on the Kooyong’s and this statement amused me for some reason.

Mornington Chardonnay is pretty intense, most often. It has more squirt than Yarra Chardonnay, to use a technical term.

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#29

Wine guff? Or am i being too harsh? I have no idea what this means.

#30

I kind of interpreted it as ‘you’ll have to like structure over fruitiness, along with tart acidity’

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#31

I much prefer your wording!

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#32

I’ve just returned after seven years in Australia - lived on the Mornington Peninsula - pretty much in sight of Kooyong, and their sister winery higher up the hills - Port Phillip Estate. Good places. Kooyong let me have one of their old barrels once for me to use to make my own wines (I wanted no overt oak flavour - so opted for a barrique they’d been using for 10+ years) - it was in impeccable condition and they take the same care with everything they do. Kooyong is down the slopes- so the wines are fuller, riper, less nervy but they do keep their Pinot lean (in the sense of ‘toned’ rather than ‘mean’) - occasionally this does surprise people who expect Central Otago-style Pinots, but the Mornington Peninsula will never yield those. Even their Syrah (labelled thus rather than Shiraz) has more than a nod towards the northern Rhone but haven’t seen one of those here in the UK - all gets hoovered up by the local and very wealthy Melbourne market. Happy to chat more with anyone interested - the MP is a great source of handmade, diverse wines.

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#33

Having thoroughly enjoyed the chardonnays from a mixed case of 2018, thought it was worth opening the PNs. Prompted also by the 2020s now being listed and my minimal request for Burgundy EP resulting in a little spare Pinot budget.

Well, both these bottles were excellent. The Meres, to my taste, is drinking beautifully. Fresh as a daisy, succulent (WS uses the description twice in its TN for the current release and it certainly applies to the 2018) and a wine to put a smile on your face. The Haven, just a little more body, earthiness perhaps just slightly more grown up.

Fun to taste them side by side and both absolutely good to go now but would happily keep (possibly the Haven more so). Needless to say, an order for 3 of each of the 2020 sent to Reserves.

It also looks like WS pricing is the same here for the current release as it was for the 2018s a couple of years back which is super impressive.

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#34

Equally noteworthy, having just checked ‘My Wines’. My minor addiction to Kooyong’s wines began in April 2012. The 2010 Clonale Chardonnay cost £17 and the 2010 Massale Pinot £18.50. So yeah, well done TWS !

Thanks for the notes on yours too, they’re very helpful regarding back vintages here ( 2016 IIRC ) :+1:

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#35

Been deliberately ignoring these hoping they’d go out of stock without me noticing…this has made it more difficult. Do you remember your notes for a Chardonnays?

#36

I have this spectacularly insightful note on CT in respect of the Ferrargo 2018 drunk in March last year, “Excellent Wine. Buy again”

Sorry, not helpful aT all. Even worse is that I believe the Faultline was demolished on a very boozy evening with friends in November but little memory persists.

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