Chardonnay Mudgee, New South Wales
Top 100 wines of 2010, www.winediva.ca, December 2010
Tony Aspler, www.tonyaspler.com, April 2010, Ontario, Canada
90 points. (the first wine produced by the new winery): straw coloured; peach nose with spicy oak; rich and full on the palate with flavours of peach and melon nicely balanced with oak; good mouth-feel (90).
Rod Phillips, Rod Phillips on Wine (Winepointer.com), May 2010, Ontario, Canada
90-93 points. This is a quite lovely chardonnay that over-delivers and represents good value. It's a big-bodied chard, with well-defined and nuanced flavours (including a hint of toastiness), good acidity, and a soft, round texture. It's a great choice for fair rich dishes, such as lobster and scallops.
89 points. A lively, well-balanced Chardonnay with enticing notes Granny Smith apple, Asian pear and white field flowers. The balancing acidity is a pleasant surprise, and there's a judicious use of oak. Full-bodied and satisfying. Food matches: roast chicken, pork chops, lobster in butter, corn dishes.
Deanna Van Mulligen, Vines Magazine, May 2010, British Columbia, Canada
This new Aussie brand, named after it's owner (who established the famous Hunter Valley brand, Rosemount) has four labels including James Oatley TIC TOK, Montrose, Wild Oats and the eponymous Robert Oatley. It's a chardonnay with a verdant, crisp character possibly due in part to the high elevation of its New South Wales vineyard. You can expect effusive aromas of grass clippings, melon, citrus blossoms, minerals and lemon balm with melon and a core of oak spice. The palate is vibrant but still rounded, creamy yet zesty. - It has melon and citrus peel flavours with fresh herbal nuances followed by light spice clinging lingering to the finish. It will pair nicely with seafood or grilled chicken wraps.
Jurgen Gothe, 100.5 "THE PEAK" Vancouver Flavours, July 2010, British Columbia, Canada
Good Value. Robert Oatley Mudgee Chardonnay 2007 is the new Aussie in town, well priced at $19.99, easy drinking Chard, no big oak, lots of lemon and lime, fresh, bright, crisp; good value.
Jurgen Gothe, www.straight.com & Georgia Straight Newspaper, August 2010, British Columbia, Canada
This is a newcomer to B.C. wine stores. Part of the winery's mandate is a wine style that reflects old-world influences and contemporary international tastes. Meaning, in this case, no big oak, a little lemony freshness, moderate alcohol, and not showing its age, all coming together in an easy-drinking Chard that's fresh and clean and serviceable for just about anything on your summer table.
Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator, November 2008, USA
90 Points. Vibrant and generous, delivering a lively mouthful of orange‐accented apple, pear and floral aromas and flavors, nicely focused to breathe through the finish against mouthwatering acidity.
Wine&Spirits Reviewed by Josh Greene, April 2009, USA
Critic's Choice. Creamy, citric, rich and un‐wooded chardonnay is good any time of day.
Linda Murphy, JancisRobinson.com, January 2009, USA
Perfectly Positioned For The Times. Sweet, candied nose evolves to a fresh, juicy wine with pear, lemon curd and apple notes. Oak aging adds texture though with out to oppressive toastiness. Crisp and refreshing.
Chardonnay Mudgee, New South Wales
88 Points. Bright and lively, this white is juicy with aromas and flavors of apple, pear and cardamom that push into the vivid finish. Drink now through 2014.
Dan Kislenko, Hamilton Spectator (www.thespec.com), December 2010, Canada
ROBERT OATLEY 2008 CHARDONNAY ($17.95, code 159798). I like the gentle touch of Oatley wines and the way he brings finesse to the fruit. Lovely, clean Australian Chardonnay, fresh and lively with guava, mango and orange notes and crisp acidity to balance.
87 Points. This is an easy drinking, well balanced, fairly rich yet lively chardonnay with slightly confected clove-like and toasty aromas plus ripe, sub-tropical honey dew melon-pineapple fruit. Medium bodied and the length is very good. Tasted December 2010.
89 Points. Spicy melon with a floral note. Medium-bodied, dry, elegant, well made with a clean finish.
88 Points. Here's a fine, restrained, elegant chardonnay from the Mudgee appellation, with delicate oak influence. A versatile and food-friendly example, well-crafted. Tasted November 2010.
88 Points. A dry lightly oaked chardonnay with herbal aromas and flavours to supplement the melon pear fruit. It is midweight and well balanced with good length. Try with sautéed seafood or roast poultry. Tasted November 2010.
Bronze Medal, Intervin, November 2010
Bev-X, August 2010, USA
4 Stars, Exceptional. “The Oatley wines represent the new and coming face of Australian wine. Their wines focus on balance and complexity with relatively low alcohols and great balancing acidity. These are tremendous food wines that have wide appeal with the established wine lover and the novice as well. They are all smartly finished with a screw-cap closure that ensures that you will experience the wine just as the experienced winemaking team has intended. “The Robert Oatley Chardonnay has recently caught our eye and palate. When we first saw that this Chardonnay was bottled at just 12.2% alcohol by volume we believed this to be a printing error. Once we opened it and discovered the joys of this lighter bodied Chardonnay we knew that we had found something unique. Whilst light in alcohol it is not light on flavor delivering a complex and ultra-balanced Chardonnay that makes this wine the perfect choice for the dinner table. If you have grown weary of massive 15%-plus alcohol whites give this a wine a go and rediscover refreshment.
Best of Class, Long Beach Grand Cru Wine Competition, July 2010, USA
Chardonnay Mudgee, New South Wales
89 Points. Striking that delicate balance of fruit and just enough oak, this Mudgee chardonnay has excellent citrus and tropical fruit flavours, with pear, vanilla and clean acidity. Very drinkable and easy to enjoy. Drink now.
90 Points / Smart Buy. Polished, lively and appealing for its sunny pear, cream, vanilla and lychee flavors, which slide smoothly through the long, elegant finish.
Tony Gismondi, Gismondi on Wine, November 2011
88 Points. Nutty, spicy, baked apple, pear skin, honey, light butter, peach aromas. Fresh, elegant, easy palate with melon, peach, honey, light butter, citrus, nutty, baked apple flavours. A delicious food style chardonnay with balance and style. Well done.
Wine Access International Value Wine Awards, November 2011
89 Points. #3 Aussie Wine, Top 15 under screwcap, #4 Oaked Chardonnay. “Aussie legend Bob Oatley is a pioneer in remote, high-altitude Mudgee, where he makes this complex chardonnay that combines buttery richness, citrusy freshness and the minerality of Mudgee's ancient red soil. Techniques including night harvesting, partial stainless steel/partial barrel fermentation and limited malolactic fermentation produce a wine of true depth and style.
90 Points. This Robert Oatley Chardonnay comes from grapes grown in higher altitude vineyards on red clay loam ancient volcanic soils. It differs quite a bit from the 2007 vintage I last tasted, but I really like the notes of browned butter, golden pineapple, toasted spice, citrus and nuts. The palate has a creamy weight with a wonderfully fresh character and flavours of spice, citrus peel and toasted nuts followed with a mouth-watering finish