JM 1ST APPROACH

Bright limey-straw colour. An aromatic nose with fresh lime/ lemon and quartzy silica mineral characters, balanced with notes of grilled nuts, white peach and a soft creaminess. Palate is bright and again minerally with the same attractive balance of pert citrus zing and layers of texture; arguably this is also a particularly pure and structural vintage for Clonale.

 Clonale has hit the big time! Auditioned next to Pierro Chardonnay 09 for inclusion this week and Clonale got the gig – it’s a better wine! Ooh, aah! Ricocheting with grapefruit, fig and persimmon exoticity, nuanced with smoked ham, pulling into a clean-crafted finish. Drink 2011-2013. Rating: 94 points Tyson Tselzer

Vibrant pale straw colour with a tinge of green. Subtle aromas of grapefruit, white peach, and orange blossom. Grapefruit mingling with lemon barley, brioche, and honeydew melon flavours. The palate mixes a thickness of texture with crisp acidity. Lemon zest, nectarine and a distinctly savory, almost salty cracker, type of flavour. There's plenty of things to like here, it's not too austere, oak is subtle and toned down, it's mid-weight yet of full flavour and there's a long tight flinty finish. Wheaty complexity too. Have 92-93 written down, so slightly ambiguous, but in no way am I ambivalent. This is a lovely drinking wine. Rated : 93 Points Winefront.com.au