Giesen The Brothers Marlborough Chardonnay 2014

5 January 2016By Yvonne

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

5 January 2016By Yvonne

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

27 November 2015By Yvonne

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

Spinyback Nelson Chardonnay 2014

24 November 2015By Yvonne

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

Byrne Vineyard Northland Chardonnay 2014

24 November 2015By Yvonne

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

16 November 2015By Yvonne

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

20 October 2015By Yvonne

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

14 September 2015By Yvonne

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

14 August 2015By Yvonne

 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

14 August 2015By Yvonne

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