HARKHAM WINE
Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia
Ritchie Harkham's wines are like no other in the Hunter Valley. His minimalist, preservative and additive-free approach to winemaking have seen him develop into one of the true cult favourite wineries of the region. The Hunter Valley is a difficult place to grow without chemical sprays but Ritchie has pulled it off with great success. He has set a new precedent for the way things can be farmed in this historic region. The wines are raw, a little wild and sit outside the norm of the region. This is the Hunter Valley unplugged.
This is bloody delicious. Outside the box, all hazelnut, preserved lemon, sea spray, saline minerality, dried apple, faint ginger, cinnamon, quince paste and gentle lime. It is somewhat expansive and soft in the palate but that core of brine and the fringe of talc- like pucker is sensational amongst the fleshier chardonnay characters. The nutty riffs are strong here, the uplifting zestiness of bright fruit to task, but yes, supple and soft and rich in a way too. A nod in the direction of Jura or perhaps Cossard or Vallette of Burgundy. Utterly delicious.