Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Terraces Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 $100 Word on the street is that 2019 was a blistering blinder of a year for chardonnay in Hawke’s Bay and that the fruit was set to flourish into something more fabulous than ever before. The word on the street is entirely accurate. Immensely powerful … Read More
Chardonnay
Swift Wines Bridge Pa Triangle Chardonnay 2020
Swift Wines Bridge Pa Triangle Chardonnay 2020 $35 I could tell you all the technical wizardry involved in creating this organically grown chardonnay, but that might be a distraction to its deliciousness and that wouldn’t do at all. Erupting with ripe grapefruit, roast nectarine and creme brulee topping, caramelised, softly smoky spicy oak and incredibly … Read More
Monowai Upper Reaches Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020
Monowai Upper Reaches Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020 $35 Aromas of baked peach, cashew butter and creme caramel collide with slightly scorched toast, a lick of grapefruit, pineapple and layers of butterscotch complexity. It’s a refreshingly silky thing to sip, with nicely balanced acidity and alcohol and a long, creamy, classic finish. Round, ripe and soothing … Read More
Matahiwi Holly South Series Wairarapa Chardonnay 2020
Matahiwi Holly South Series Wairarapa Chardonnay 2020 $30 Crafted from the southern Chardonnay vines growing in the Matahiwi home vineyard, this is the fourth vintage after it was planted back in 2013. If aromas of ultra-toasty oak, grilled grapefruit and peach are your thing, then you’ll be a happy camper. Combine them with frisky acidity … Read More
Aurum Organic Central Otago Chardonnay 2019
Aurum Organic Central Otago Chardonnay 2019 $45 You can announce to your friends as you pour this wine. “The soils in which Aurum’s certified organic, chardonnay grapes grow, are comprised of fluvial, glacial silts and gravels”. Now quickly go and Google ‘fluvial’ to school yourself up in advance. The desert-dry heat of the Lowburn … Read More
Monowai Estate Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020
Monowai Estate Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020 $25 Twas waaay back in ye olde early days of my wine journey that I first encountered the mighty Monowai chardonnay and now it’s something I look forward to seeing each year because it’s changing (for the better) all the time. Emma Lowe and Marcello Nunez are the evil … Read More
Brightwater Vineyard Nelson Chardonnay 2020
Brightwater Vineyards Nelson Chardonnay 2020 $27 Lifted and lemony on the nose, this elegantly styled new release from one of our long-time WineFriend loves, is edged with roast cashews and nougat niceness. There’s a lick of smoke, an edge of grilled nectarine and a lush, peachy palate. Great late afternoon sip. Brightwater Vineyards
Butterworth Martinborough Chardonnay 2020
Butterworth Martinborough Chardonnay 2020 ($48) Crammed with roast cashew, grilled peach and creamy nougat notes on the nose and palate, this refreshing new release from fruit grown on the Te Muna Terraces is dangerously drinkable and will absolutely appeal to chardonnay lovers of all ages and stages. It’s a full, rich,toasty triumph with buckets of … Read More
The Hunting Lodge Expressions Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020
The Hunting Lodge Expressions Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020 $23 Paired with: Frittata muffins Canvas Drinks matches Sept 11th 2021 Now I know Annabel says these frittata muffins are a great way to get veg into kids, but they’re also a great way to get the Hunting Lodge Expressions Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020 ($23.99) into grownups. … Read More
Greystone Erin’s Reserve Waipara Valley Chardonnay 2019
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 … Read More