Chardonnay from New Zealand – Wairarapa & Wellington
Review Date - 23-Jan-2019

18.5/20

Bright, pale golden-yellow colour with some depth, a little lighter on the rim. The nose is elegantly proportioned with well-concentrated aromas of fresh white and yellow stonefruits along with notes of ripe tropical fruits, nutty lees and oak, hints of creamy barrel-ferment and piquant mineral elements, unfolding a little lemon-curd Malo Lactic Fermentation (MLF)detail. This grows in intensity with aeration. Medium-bodied, the palate is well-presented with a firm core of concentrated white and yellow stonefruits melded with creamy barrel-ferment elements and nutty lees and oak, detailed by fine mineral nuances.

The flavours show intensity, linearity and drive, and the wine flows along a very fine-textured line, with fresh, lacy, balanced acidity, leading to an elegant, lingering finish.

This is an elegant, but concentrated Chardonnay with stonefruits, creamy oak and MLF elements, nutty lees and mineral nuances, on a linear, refreshing palate. Match with seafood, poultry and pork over the next 3-4 years. Fruit predominantly Mendoza clone , fully barrel-fermented to 13.0% alc., the wine aged 10 months in 40% new French oak, followed by a further 2 months in tank on full lees, undergoing batonnage and 100% MLF. 18.5/20 Jan 2019