Smith & Sheth Cru Heretaunga Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018 $40 
Holy buttered muffin Batman! This blend of clone 95, clone 15 and old Mendoza vines is one of three chardonnays released by Master of Wine Steve Smith and his team at Smith & Sheth, and it’s as complex as the design on the label. Each of the vertical panels represents the exact genome sequence of the DNA of the grape varieties that Smith & Sheth grow. At first it feels very Chablis-like, but it deepens with time in the glass. With aromas of grilled grapefruit, caramelised apple and peachy complexity followed by a palate awash with clean, well-integrated oak, it’s stunning stuff indeed.
