Barak's Bridge Chardonnay 1999

By MICHELE CURTIS

This is one of a trifecta of wines named after William Barak, leader of the Wurundjeri clan, who lived in the Yarra Valley in Victoria.

This self-sufficient tribe had to cross the Yarra River to mill their wheat in Lilydale.

As the label shows, the felling of a large old gum tree made this journey possible, hence the name of Barak's Bridge.

This chardonnay is not likely to jump up and grab your taste buds by surprise. Rather, the subtle melon and cashew nut flavours gently woo your palate into seduction and before you know it, half the bottle has just, well, gone.

Wines like this that sneak up and take you by surprise are the best: initially you may lack anticipation, but as the wine works its wonders on your taste buds, you find yourself nodding your head and thinking nice thoughts about the world.

On the nose it's all tropical melons, with a demure citrus aftertaste that works its magic with food. Go the roast pork route, or try a bowl of pasta tossed with prosciutto and broad beans.

Although the wine is pretty good by itself, it's much more of a sensation with food - the acidity kicks in, the palate lengthens and you are transported to chardonnay heaven.

It's not the type of wine you want to think too much about; it's a good quaffing wine that lifts with food.

This wine shows a definite skill in the technical aspect as the maker has worked with chardonnay fruit to get it tasting richer, smoother and older than you'd expect.

RRP $13.50
3 out of 5