Oraterra Martinborough Chardonnay 2023 $70 Labelled with an artwork by Leanne Williams “In The Presence” and crafted by a team which began life at Dry River wines, this chardonnay has impressive creamy complexity, aromas of baked stonefruit and fennel are licked with pineapple and butterscotch. All these elements osmose across the palate and are bolstered … Read More
Misty Cove 1203 Limited Release Marlborough Chardonnay 2023 $44 Inspired by Mt Stokes, which towers 1203m above sea level over the Marlborough region, this wine is excellently energetic and aromatic, and wouldn’t we all like to be that? Well, chaps, each sip of this wine will help you get there, and with its gentle cashew … Read More
Mills Reef Elspeth Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2023 $39 The flagship chardonnay for Mills Reef is tightly coiled and ready to unleash its talents over the next ten years I feel. From a cooler vintage, Paul Dawick and his winemaking team have sourced some spectacular fruit to craft a chardonnay scented with grilled grapefruit, lemon pith, … Read More
Rapaura Springs Bouldevines Vineyard Omaka Valley Chardonnay 2023 $40 With gold medals and 5-star ratings up the wahzoo (technical term) this roasty, toasty bottle of peachy perfection will absolutely bring the grins to any occasion. Crafted to contain a balance of creamy complexity, it deftly works nougat notes with flinty, struck-match magic, and super-sippable, oaky, … Read More
Carrick EBM Organic Cairnmuir Terraces Chardonnay 2021 $53 Is it wrong to kick off a wine review with the word woof? Straight out the gate, it’s called EBM because that’s short for ‘Extended Barrel Maturation’ which, for this chardonnay anyway, injects a supremely rich, roasty, toasty element to its underlying baked peach, pineapple and grilled … Read More
Mandrarossa Sicilia DOC Chardonnay 2021 $32 Sicilian chardonnay has a signature spine of minerality and citrus, and this vintage has that in spades. Orange zest, roast peach and hints of grilled pineapple merge on the nose and palate in this glossy, golden example. It evolves in the glass beautifully too! Bodega Wines
Oblix Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2021 $18 Crafted by Michelle Richardson from fruit grown in Sir George Fistonich’s family vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels, this is a fresh, nectarine-stacked chardonnay with a core of zesty green apple and zingy acidity and lemony layers. Vibrant and faintly toasty and showing superb length of flavour. … Read More
Te Mania Organic Nelson Chardonnay 2023 $27 Here’s a chardonnay travelling down the citrus side of the street and is laced with spicy oak, almond meal complexity and edged with grilled stonefruit on the finish. Slightly short, but a good wine for a large crowd. Te Mania
Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2023 $42 One of my favourite chardonnay releases of the year, the Omaka Reserve is fermented entirely in American Oak and held on lees for at least 9 months to inject maximum creamy character into a bold and expressive wine. The grilled grapefruit and roasted peach notes really roar … Read More
Elephant Hill Salomé Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2021 $95 Crafted from a 100% handpicked blend of clone 15 and Mendoza fruit from their Sea (Te Awanga) and Earth (Bridge Pa Triangle) vineyards, this, their flagship chardonnay is a powerfully structured wine erupting with complex baked stonefruit and scorched citrus, layers of cleverly balanced, caramelised oak notes, … Read More