Spinyback Nelson Chardonnay 2014 $17 ★★★½ Made by the team at Waimea Estates, this is a tangy, tropical, fruit salad style of chardonnay that I know loads of people will love because it doesn’t have that toasty, oaky flavour. Lighter peachiness, with a splash of pineapple and mango, means it’s an easy, fresh and lively … Read More
Chardonnay
Byrne Vineyard Northland Chardonnay 2014
Byrne Vineyard Northland Chardonnay 2014 $29 ★★★★½ I really like the creamy, honeyed toast aromas in this wine, they merge with the youthful oak, and ripe nectarine and grilled pineapple punch in the mid palate. This is lovely stuff indeed from winemaker Ben Byrne – a definite Northland star producer. www.byrnewine.com
Alpha Domus First Solo Chardonnay 2013
Alpha Domus First Solo Chardonnay 2013 $26 ★★★★ A waft of grilled pineapple and peach is what immediately impressed me with this wine, and the fact that it boasts tight acidity, delicious toasty spice notes, loads of citrus and has a zesty, clean finish was all a lovely bonus really. Superb with a steaming bowl … Read More
Saint Clair Pioneer Block Cell Block Chardonnay 2013
Saint Clair Pioneer Block Cell Block Chardonnay 2013 $32 ★★★★★ Sourced from the fantastic, free-draining Dillons Point dirt in Marlborough, this chardonnay just hammers home the message that our largest wine region is really on a roll churning out world class white Burgundy. Saint Clair have never been slouches when it comes to creating great … Read More
Karikari Estate Calypso Chardonnay 2013
Karikari Estate Calypso Chardonnay 2013 $29 ★★★★ This little cracker from the far north is a new favourite because it hit the right cinnamon, struck match and smoke notes needed to cloak the underlying roast pineapple and peach flavours on the palate. It’s robust enough to nicely pair with anything resembling a roast chook or … Read More
Sam Hunt Gisborne Chardonnay 2013
Sam Hunt Gisborne Chardonnay 2013 $21.95 ★★★★ There’s a subtle, creamy lift on the nose, while waves of green nectarine and grapefruit wash across the palate with every sip, which is nice considering there are lines from Hunt’s poem Wavesong printed on the bottle. Just a tweak of toasty oak adds to the experience and … Read More
La Crema Monterey Chardonnay 2013
La Crema Monterey Chardonnay 2013 $30 ★★★★ Fans of big, buxom, oaky chardonnay will love this California girl. Creamy, mango and spicy peach-driven aromas lead to a flood of fig, dried pineapple and cinnamon-buttered toast flavours. Soft, coconut characters round out the finish. Make sure there’s a corkscrew in the house when you snap this … Read More
Decades of Dogs…
Last week I wrote about everything being better in two’s and how fun it is to taste two different vintages of the same wine side by side to pick out the differences. Well if the team at Dog Point in Marlborough didn’t just decide to dial that idea up by 500% and open up ten … Read More
Richmond Plains Nelson Chardonnay 2011
Richmond Plains Nelson Chardonnay 2011 $19 ★★★½ This smells like a peach cupcake with grapefruit icing, it’s seriously tangy and tropical with lovely concentration and a seam of toasty oak to wrap up the finish. Delicious with pan-seared scallops topped with toasted almonds. www.richmondplains.co.nz
Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay 2010
CRAGGY RANGE GIMBLETT GRAVELS CHARDONNAY 2010, $34 Drool-inducing aromas of grapefruit pith, ripe peach and buttered crumpets slathered in honey. It’s succulent and juicy with tropical tones and nicely balanced, gently-managed toasty oak to counter the fruit sweetness. Crisp and tangy, it’s a real treat and worth every cent. www.craggyrange.com