Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2013
A magnum of this served on Christmas Day lunchtime. Bright lemon-green in glass, with legs. Vibrant and still youthful perfume of grapefruit, citrus and a distinct smoky flintiness. A plush and concentrated palate of peach and ripe melon with an underlying hint of of green olive and soft herbs. Unfolding to layers of honey on wholemeal toast, a sweet creaminess of lime marmalade; and a nutty oak richness. Intensely textural and densely packed. A long finish unveils some saline tones and leaves a sweet, lingering aftertaste.
