Domaine Naturaliste 2022 Margaret River Chardonnay 'Artus'

"This is an utterly delicious counterpoint to modern, unoaked styles; an unabashedly powerful blockbuster of a Chardonnay that screams its origins: Margaret River and Bruce Dukes. Slightly reductive (struck match, gunflint) at first, this blows off after some vigorous aeration to reveal an utterly hedonistic wine, packed with pink grapefruit and ripe yellow peaches on the nose, wrapped in toasty oak-derived aromas of clove and balsam cedar. The palate has the charming patina of high quality oak with some beautiful fruit matching it step by step; ripe tropical touches, pink grapefruit match perfectly with toffee. The finish is salty and pithy. A favourite for all the guiltily pleasurable 'wrong' reasons. A favourite with no qualifications needed; draw the curtains when you drink this wine!" - David