1971 Tyrrell’s Vat 47 Pinot Chardonnay, Hunter Valley – New South Wales
The release of the 1971 Tyrrell’s Pinot Chardonnay created a major shift in sentiment. After drinking great bottles of white Burgundy with Len Evans and art dealer bon-vivant Rudi Komon in 1968, Murray Tyrrell tracked down Chardonnay cuttings from Alfred Kurtz in Mudgee. A few years earlier a visiting French ampelograoher Dr Denis Bourbals had identified a patch of Kurtz’s vines as Chardonnay. The origins are a little unclear, but the genetic material may have come from the Smithfield Winery around 1930, when winemaker Colin Laraghy supplied Bill Roth (later of Craigmoor) with planting material. Murray Tyrrell initially planted one hectare of Chardonnay. He released a 1970 Vat 63 Pinot Riesling (Chardonnay Semillon) beginning an Australian blending genre admired throughout the world. Although 1971 was one of the worst vintages on record in the Hunter Valley, the 1971 Tyrrell’s Vat 47 neither fermented nor matured in new oak, marked the beginning of an Australian love affair with chardonnay. The grapes were picked at 10.5º Baumé. Tyrrell’s Vat 47 Chardonnay remains one of Australia’s important offerings and has established a rare reputation for longevity.
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