A Hawke’s Bay wine – from the Linn family vineyard at Mangatahi. A bright straw-gold in the glass. Rich, ripe notes on the nose, with nectarine, grapefruit, mandarin and greengage fruit mingling with caramel, almond and popcorn. The palate is firmer than the nose (and colour) suggests, with a pithy acidity and a nice balance of savoury flavours to ease out that fruit ripeness. Tarragon, oyster shell and fennel come through. The texture is a delight too – creamy and generous. Fans of a bigger style will find a lot to like here. 91pts
Wairiki ‘The Matriarch’ Chardonnay 2021
