Q Waitaki Valley Chardonnay 2021 $42 
Never heard of Q? It’s a tiny producer growing grapes in Waitaki’s deep limestone soils, only making wine when the fruit is perfect. The Waitaki wine region sits right on the southern edge of Canterbury and the northern lip of Otago, and it’s one of the most inhospitable climates in the southern hemisphere. Which is why grapes love it! Treat ’em mean, and they’ll work extra hard to turn out elegant, lemon-laced, gently smoky chardonnay like this. Balanced, fresh, and classically styled, it’s gorgeous with Cajun chicken. Drink now through 2027.
