Babich Hawke’s Bay Irongate Chardonnay 2008  $35

“Babich’s flagship Chardonnay is a power-packed whopper of a wine bursting with juicy peach and grapefruit flavours while showing taut acidity, elegant oak and sublime, mouthfilling, textural length of flavour.  I’m certain it will cellar comfortably until 2014 and it’s a no-brainer as to how this came to be an iconic New Zealand chardonnay – superb stuff indeed.  Enjoy with chicken breasts stuffed with spinach and ricotta and wrapped in streaky bacon.  Available from fine wine stores or via www.babich.co.nz .