Tasted at Helio Headquarters with winemaker Mat Kirby (and a chance to look at all three editions – the ’19, ’20 and this new 2021in a flight as well). A shining lemon-green, just a hint of gold, colour in the glass. Aromatically intense – perfumed with sliced pear, grapefruit, cashew, mandarin, honeycomb, tarragon and lemon blossom. A beautiful and immediate snap of citrus acidity bursts onto the palate – saline and bright – setting a vibrant stage for the fruit to shine through. Young, tight and tense, but with a rich, plush concentration. Ripe grilled peach, melon, and a delicious fresh green note of fennel and cucumber. A lean oak note adds depth to the core, leaving space for the other layers of complexity to emerge as the wine unfolds. The texture is memorable – again with a creme fraiche sliver of tartness that offsets the lush flavours nicely. An oyster shell minerality completes a polished expression of coastal Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay. I find you’re drawn to a place somewhere between the first two versions of Helio, and it takes the best of both. It has everything in place, and sets a very high benchmark for the ’21 vintage to aim for. 96pts
Helio Chardonnay 2021
