Squawking Magpie The Gravels Chardonnay 2015 $33.95 For starters I really love the slick new label design at play here, mysterious, brooding and very ‘magpie’. Here’s an incredibly ‘pure’ chardonnay that’s packed with tropical tang, so expect pineapple, nectarine and tangelo notes alongside honey-buttered cinnamon toast and creamy layers in the mid-palate. The acidity is … Read More
Chardonnay
Nga Waka Martinborough Chardonnay 2015
Nga Waka Martinborough Chardonnay 2015 $30 ★★★½ It’s been an age since I’ve tasted Roger Parkinson’s chardonnays from his Nga Waka label, so it’s a great thing to get amongst his new releases. The 2015 estate is a tangy, linear yet altogether luscious wine that’s golden in the glass and offers creamy, spicy, roast peach … Read More
Baron’s and Potter The Countess Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014
Barons and Potter ‘The Countess’ Reserve HB Chardonnay 2014 $32 ★★★★ A brand new label produced for Hawke’s Bay’s Barons and Potter families by Hamish Jardine of Crab Farm, this is an ultra-tropical chardonnay showing hints of honey, spiced pineapple and peach crumble on the palate. There’s a hint of creaminess, but it’s the tang … Read More
Mills Reef Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2015
Mills Reef Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2015 $24 ★★★★½ I love the aroma of butterscotch, creamy peaches, buttered crumpets and on the palate expect exactly the same but followed by smooth, smoky notes, creamy citrus and gently tropical flavours that wash across a long, persistent finish. It’s a satisfying, old-school style. www.millsreef.co.nz
Brancott Estate Letter Series ‘O’ Marlborough Chardonnay 2014
Brancott Estate Letter Series ‘O’ Marlborough Chardonnay 2014 $34 ★★★★★ This wine smells like peach and almond crumble, caramelised citrus and has a delicious blend of spiciness and creaminess to add to its all-round yumminess. There’s a lovely roasty, toasty layer and a buttery injection on the finish. The ‘O’ stands for their Omaka vineyard. … Read More
Beach House ‘The Levels’ Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2014
Beach House ‘The Levels’ Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2014 $35 ★★★★★ Crafted from the ‘Stony Beach Gravels’ of the Te Awanga coastline, this is a stonkingly good chardonnay that oozes smoked grapefruit, roast peach, juicy stonefruit intensity all rugged up in a blanket of vanilla, buttered cinnamon toast and cashew characters. Fresh, funky and quite simply … Read More
Theory & Practice Gisborne Chardonnay 2014
Theory & Practice Gisborne Chardonnay 2014 $19.95 ★★★★ Crafted by Ant McKenzie, (wine consultant to the stars) and his viticulturist brother Bryce, this is a cracker of a chardonnay that’s jam-packed with juicy tropical fruit and grilled citrus notes alongside caramelised, toasty characters and edged with creamy, custard square pastry-like notes. Fresh and tangy. To … Read More
Giesen The Brothers Marlborough Chardonnay 2014
Giesen The Brothers Marlborough Chardonnay 2014 $30 ★★★★ If you’re a fan of funky, full-bodied, stonefruit-soaked chardonnay that has a healthy vein of spice and smoke then this is definitely one to pop away in the cellar. With lovely layers of grapefruit and grilled pineapple, this wild-yeast fermented wine from Marlborough’s Wairau and Southern valley’s … Read More
Tony Bish Fat & Sassy Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014
Tony Bish Fat & Sassy Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014 $20 ★★★★½ When Tony promises more fat and more sass than the last release, he’s not wrong. Ultra-vibrant aromas of tangy pineapple and grapefruit, toasty roast pineapple, spicy biscuit characters and buckets of stonefruit. It’s a bold, biscuity and nicely balanced chardonnay that has a long, … Read More
VNO Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014
VNO Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014 $16.99 ★★★½ If you’re a fan of tropical, fruit-salad-like chardonnay, then I’m sure this will definitely become a new fave for your fridge this summer. Chardonnay like this can really suffer if it’s served too cold, so with its temperature sensitive label to tell you exactly when to take it … Read More