Rock Ferry 3rd Rock Marlborough Chardonnay 2019 $45 Fiona and Tom Hutchison created Rock Ferry back in 2005 and developed the organic and biodynamically-grown vineyards at the same time. Allan McWilliams has been making wine for them since the mid-2000s, and he’s obsessed with creating the perfect chardonnay. I think he’s cracked it. Organically grown … Read More
Chardonnay
Black Estate Home North Canterbury Chardonnay 2018
Black Estate Home North Canterbury Chardonnay 2018 $41.99 Paired in dish magazine Summer 2020 Barbequed beer-can chicken Ahoy chardonnay squealers! You’re gonna be wanting to know about the groovy and gorgeously tasty Black Estate Home North Canterbury Chardonnay 2018 ($41.99) because it’s finger-lickin’ with this chicken. The style oozes grilled citrus, layers of caramelised, spicy … Read More
Radburnd Cellars Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018
Radburnd Cellars Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018 $85 Gorgeously golden in the glass, this debut chardonnay from legendary winemaker Kate Radburnd is crafted from old-vine, Mendoza-clone fruit sourced from two vineyards in two different sub-regions. The Bridge Pa fruit adds weight and minerality, while the Mangatahi fruit injects classic stonefruit succulence and structure. Handpicked, hand-sorted, whole-bunch … Read More
O:TU Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019
O:TU Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 $19 Lovers of soft, creamy, peach-laced chardonnay will be all over this wine crafted by winemaker Jan Kux. Smooth, soothing and saturated in tropical fruit, it’s an ultra-friendly, attractive little sip for sure. http://www.otuwine.com
Taylors St Andrews Clare Valley Chardonnay 2016
Taylors St Andrews Clare Valley Chardonnay 2016 $49.99 Whenever a new vintage of St Andrews chardonnay lands on our shores and zooms over to my office, the joy is electric. Electric like a disco. The kind of disco that John Travolta would go to. That’s how boogie wonderland my mood becomes. Super-juicy and packed solid … Read More
Bushmere Estate Classic Gisborne Chardonnay 2018
Bushmere Estate Classic Gisborne Chardonnay 2018 $25 While this wine is super-creamy and nutty on the nose, there’s an explosion of grapefruit and toasted peaches as soon as you manage to get the glass into your gob, closely followed by a gurgle of lemon and a pinch of pineapple. David and Shona Egan have been … Read More
Bristol Farm Nelson Chardonnay 2019
Bristol Farm Nelson Chardonnay 2019 ($39) Winemaker Brendan Seal is best known for his Urbn Vino branded pinot noir wines which he makes at his inner-city winery in Dunedin. His other, more under-the-radar label, is Bristol Farm. Chardonnay is the first 2019 wine of his I’ve tasted (unlabelled sample) and it’s telling me that Nelson … Read More
Moana Park Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018 (2nd batch)
Moana Park Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018 (2nd batch) $14.99 (http://www.winecentral.co.nz) – $25 One thing Dan Barker knows how to do is make darn nice chardonnay. This is a second batch of later-bottled chardonnay created from 100% Clone 95 fruit from 13 year old vines. It has a different flavour spectrum to the previous 2018 Moana … Read More
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 $23 This is one of my absolute favourite new release chardonnays from Hawke’s Bay. Grown in the limestone-rich soils behind Te Mata peak, on the Waimarama Road, it’s a succulent, citrus-soaked style that shows skilled use of oak and great attention to detail. Grapefruit, pineapple and peachy punchiness on … Read More
Askerne Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018
Askerne Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018 $32.90 Prepare for a juggernaut of jungle juice tropicality, electrifying acidity, spunky citrus and a dollop of delicious, biscuity oak and smoke on the finish. It’s a sexy chardonnay indeed and clearly the team at Askerne had a very good handle on its potential as soon as the grapes … Read More