Villa Maria Marlborough Reserve Chardonnay 2017

A well-awarded wine over the years, and in prime condition after a few years in the cellar. A nip of reductivity shows in a flinty, struck-match note on the nose, but quickly found next to that is a complex, enticing perfume of peach, grapefruit, cashew, butterscotch and lemon curd. A splash of intense fruit sweetness opens the palate, swiftly offset by some savoury, herbal and nutty layers. Plenty of wine in this glass – the oak plays a part in the depth and richness, and the acidity is vital, juicy and latent. Plenty of energy too – no shrinking violet, with a tension-filled exhuberance, but also a little creaminess and viscosity to the texture. Takes a good chill – we put the bottle in the fridge, between each glass fill. 92pts