Cranswick Lakefield Chardonnay is a new white wine from South Eastern Australia that’s now on the market, and I was delighted to get an opportunity to try a bottle this week. A tiny bit sweeter than the whites I usually drink, it is, nonetheless, not a sweet wine, and it’s certainly an attractively priced mid-range offering—there is also a red by the same company, which I’ve not yet tried, a Shiraz that sells for the same price: Rs. 1520.

Well-chilled, it was a delight, bringing a great balance of flavors—fruity with a nice acidity that makes for a very pleasant drinking experience. It makes a great accompaniment to food, as well as an easy drinker on its own. And while it’s not what’s on the outside but what’s inside that counts, I found the saurus crane on the label to be a nice touch, too; the image is attractive but more importantly, it connects to Nepal and our own saurus crane, which lives down in Lumbini.
All in all, I think this is a great addition to the chardonnays on offer in Kathmandu!

Cranswick Lakefield Chardonnay is available at Greenline Center Pvt.Ltd in Kathmandu and at Lakeside Liquor Mart Pvt.Ltd in Pokhara.