The top Chardonnay from Church Road for 2022 – there isn’t a ‘Tom’ Chardonnay. A single vineyard wine, from the Tuki Tuki Vineyard – one of their latest-ripening sites. In what was a fairly wet (but warm – well above average) vintage for Hawke’s Bay, a window in the weather coincided with the key part of the season for this variety in that location.
A light golden colour in the glass, flashes of lemon-green at the rim. Ripe but elegant is the key to this Chardonnay. Aromas of roasted cashew and honey, plus citrus and a slather of exotic flavours of fig, pineapple, melon and lemon curd. Fresh, focussed and tight on the palate where there is less voluptuousness than previously, but with more spine and a slatey minerality. Some toasty, nutty, pear danish notes and a generous richness to the plush texture that swaddles the back of the palate. A clean, drying finish of good length. As good as the excellent 2021. 95pts
