Moana Park Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018  (2nd batch) $14.99 (http://www.winecentral.co.nz) – $25 

One thing Dan Barker knows how to do is make darn nice chardonnay. This is a second batch of later-bottled chardonnay created from 100% Clone 95 fruit from 13 year old vines.  It has a different flavour spectrum to the previous 2018 Moana Park chardonnay I’d tasted yet I’m not sure how consumers will know the difference as the label is the same.  This version has undergone a wild, high solids ferment to boost the feral-factor, and shows smoked almonds and toasted brioche notes alongside grapefruit pith and creamy, buttery layers to finish.  If you were a slab of brie, I’d be very afraid.

http://www.moanapark.co.nz