The Champion wine of the NZIWS competition recently, and a wine with immense pedigree (the 2015 wine winning that same award in 2016). An excellent vintage too – reflected in this superb Chardonnay.
A medium lemon-gold with flashes of lime green in the glass. Invitingly aromatic, with just a hint of flinty reductivity on the nose. Perfumes of roast cashew, golden peach, comice pear, hay, green olive, pink grapefruit, lemon peel and baking spices. Great drive of acidity – a real flow through the palate, where branches of complexity split off in myriad directions. There’s minerality – a saline, crushed-shell like note. A toasted note that’s not just oak, but something more oatmeal and herbal – fennel, tarragon and breadcrumb. No lack of body – this has weight… but balance and finesse with the power. Texturally intriguing too – there’s a plush, rounded silken quality, but also a pleasing drying, pithiness that contrasts well. Lots of moving parts – plenty to get to know and like. I like it. 96pts.
