A Hawke’s Bay wine, with a few years in the bottle – it is a wine I’ve often seen on restaurant lists and offers good value. A medium straw gold colour in the glass. A full and opulent nose, crammed with peach, pear, ginger, cashew, lemon zest, vanilla and melon perfumes. Full-bodied in style, marked with rich, toasty barrel fermentation notes of spicy oak. The broad palate does feature lots of zesty citrus though, which makes an attractive balance to the oak, underpinned by a busy rush of acidity. Generous but well-weighted, and the finish is well-rounded and persistent. 92pts
Mills Reef Reserve Chardonnay 2018
