Čuvar Guardians Series Rivermere Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2021 $44-$64 
If great chardonnay is your jam then best you go out and buy a loaf and get buttering! This Hugh Crichton-honed new release is stacked with creamy, baked peachy goodness, a lick of grapefruit and perky popcorn-laced aromas and it bursts with citrus and softly smoky, nutty niceness on the palate. 2021 was warm, dry, and darn great for chardonnay and I found it difficult to stick to just one glass. Crafted from fruit grown in the Rivermere vineyard (formerly ‘Lyons’ vineyard) on the banks of the Ngaruroro River in the Gimblett Gravels, Čuvar translates to ‘guardian’ in Croatian and it’s the exciting new project for Sir George Fistonich and Fistonich Family Wines. Firm, fresh and deliciously complex from its wild ferment, it’s seriously impressive.
Video Review here
