I’ve never had a ‘Library Release’ wine from Villa Maria that hasn’t been a huge pleasure to drink, and this is no exception. From the spectacular 2010 vintage for Hawkes Bay Chardonnay, and being a barrel pick from the Keltern and Ngakirikiri vineyards, it has quite some pedigree. A reminder of the elegant but power-packed wines that the Villa Maria group produced in this era – think of Esk Valley, Vidal etc.
A bright straw-gold in the glass. Rich and mealy on the nose, with peach, apricot, cashew nut, orange blossom, sweet pastry and lemon curd aromas. At over a dozen years of age, this is now quite plush and broad in the palate. Acidity is sufficient to keep the flavours moving, but is falling now, and a little wine left over after the initial tasting, seemed blowsy a few hours later – aim to drink a wine of this age in one sitting once opened. Good complexity with layers of savoury, herbal and mineral elements. The finish is pithy and dry, with excellent length. 92pts
