The top-of-the-line white wine from Church Road in Hawke’s Bay. I tried this on release and it is fascinating to taste again, now with a few years of slumbering in bottle. A medium-pale gold in the glass, with flashes of lime green at the edges. Scented with citrus and stonefruit, with plenty of complexity and personality coming through straightaway. Nougat, cashew, lemon blossom and a waft of flinty reductivity all bloom on the nose. Full-bodied and unashamedly so, there is weight and power in evidence on the first sip. Spice, caramel, herbal and savoury in layers come tumbling through. A distinctive gravel note, that I picked up on release, remains. Seamless, despite the complexity, with an energy and vibrancy that impresses. Texture, zesty acid, toasty oak – it’s all the fun of the fair. Better than on release, maybe. 96pts
Church Road ‘Tom’ Chardonnay 2019
