Joshua Cooper 2025 Central Victoria Chardonnay ‘Dash Farms’

"A vibrant yellow gold streaked by green in the glass, the 2025 Dash Farms Chardonnay from Joshua Cooper unwinds with nascent elements of lemon curd, frangipane flower, sweetly ripe pineapple, and creme de patisserie all vying for attention. There is real complexity here in the form of crushed citrus leaf, thyme oil, and almond paste which trim the central aromas and occasionally make inroads to the beholders focal point. The palate is silken, creamily textured in the middle, and with fine almost filigreed phenolic presence that eases into a long and broad finish. Lemon balm and woody herbs make up the central channel from which tributaries of apricot, bosc pear, kernel, and pastry run. The finish remains closed, charmingly reticent with a hint of the aloof, near steeliness, that is most welcome in a solar vintage, though this runs over a rich carpet of cooked apricot and almond paste. Time will be most favourable. Fine." — David