Greystone Erin’s Reserve Waipara Valley Chardonnay 2019 $120 
The 2018 vintage of this wine absolutely sent me sideways with joy (see here) so I was understandably fizzing to taste the new release and also nervous as heck to see if stylistically it kept to its direction or if it was a different beast. What is different is a decent move skyward in terms of price per bottle (up $20), but it’s absolutely worth it. From a single, certified organic block of Mendoza clone fruit that’s fermented wild and undergone a full, natural malolactic ferment and matured for 16 months in Aromatically it unleashes poached nectarine, buttered crumpet, popcorn and cinnamon-dusted French toast complexity, while in the mouth it’s a seamless tsunami of bright apricot, ripe peach and grapefruit zest washing across a core of tightly coiled, perfectly balanced oak and sweet cashew notes. Boasting beautiful tension and caramelisation, it’s an absolute joy to drink.
