Huon Hooke rates 2016 Kevin John 97 points

2016 Chardonnay Shines,
by Huon Hooke, Jan 23, 2016, the realreview.com.au

‘For a vintage that has been somewhat maligned, 2016 has produced some stunning chardonnays. My latest tasting of 86 wines yielded many thrills, mostly from Tasmania and the Adelaide Hills, but also Geelong, Margaret River, Mornington and Tumbarumba.

The 2016 vintage was hot and early, a concertina vintage which saw grape varieties all ripening at once and some winemakers lamenting that the short ripening season didn’t allow time for the desired complexity to build in the grapes. Added to that, some of Tasmania’s northern areas had bushfire smoke which presented problems, in the Tamar Valley and Pipers River regions.

The top wines were Cullen Kevin John and By Farr Côte Vineyard, both 97 points, followed by Stargazer and Pooley Cooinda Vale on 96. All tantalising wines with finesse and complexity of character.’

See here for the full article