Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay

“Bold melon and apricot aromas with some peach and spiced-custard notes.  The palate has easygoing ripe-melon flavors.”
-JamesSuckling.com, Jan 2021

“Drinking well already, this fresh, full-bodied wine is vibrantly fruity, with ripe, stonefruit flavours to the fore, good mouthfeel and texture, and a rounded finish.”
– Winestate Magazine, Aug 2019

“The 2017 Chardonnay is a solid, entry-level wine, loaded up with melon and peach fruit and gussied up with hints of vanilla and dried spices. This medium-bodied, relatively pure expression of Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay should drink well for a few years.”
-Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate, Feb 2018

“Bright straw-yellow colour with pale green-gold hues, lighter edged.  The nose is fresh and light with elegant aromas of bright white stone-fruits and citrus fruit, along with herbal elements.  This is refreshing, clear and focussed, quite pure and uncomplicated.  Dry to taste and light-medium bodied, the palate has fresh, clean and uncomplicated flavours of white stone-fruits and some citrus fruit notes.  The fruit is pure in expression with focus and an elegant core, and the wine is enlivened by fresh acidity.  The wine flows with some energy and tension to a light, dry finish.  This is a clean, pure, focussed but uncomplicated Chardonnay on a fresh palate.”
-Raymond Chan, raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, Apr 2018

“Bright, full, even straw-yellow colour with lemon-green hues, pale edged.  The nose is fresh and up-front with uncomplicated aromas of yellow stone-fruits and suggestions of nutty lees a mineral elements.  Dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate has bright and moderately rich flavours of yellow stone-fruits along with subtle nutty and mineral elements.  The wine has good body and presence with soft textures and light, refreshing acidity which carry the palate to a light, clean, dry finish.  This is a fresh, bright and up-front, uncomplicated, unwooded Chardonnay with flavours of yellow stone-fruits and a clean dry finish.”
-Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, April 2017

“Strikes a balance between a toasty, cedary side and more subtle citrus flavours.  Light and juicy.”
-Wine Spectator – www.winespectator.com 2017

“Distinctive mix of nutty sweet oak and baked stone fruit; mild toasty oak and dry stone soil layer. On the palate – just dry, creamy texture loaded with fruit and oak flavours – sweet peach and ripe red apple; vanilla, nutty oak layer and mild baking spice moments; medium weight and very fine tannins; balanced.”
-Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, The Shout NZ

“Fresh apple and peach notes open the nose of the 2015 Chardonnay, complimented by subtle cream and toast hints. Light to medium-bodied, it has pure, clean unadulterated flavors in the mouth with a lively backbone and spring to the finish.”
-Lisa Perrotti-Brown, www.erobertparker.com, #224, April 2016

“Brilliant straw-yellow colour with slight green hues. The nose is clean and fresh, with firm and well-packed, uncomplicated aromas of white and yellow stonefruits unfolding some nutty suggestions. Dry to taste and medium-bodied, the flavours are light and straightforward, showing fresh and clean white and yellow stonefruits that form a softly concentrated core. The mouthfeel is soft and balanced, with good acid freshness, and the wine has good weight and presence. The wine flows easily to a bright and soft, fruity finish with stonefruits and nuts. This is a fresh, uncomplicated, unwooded Chardonnay with good mouthfeel.”
-Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, July 2016

“Slender, sophisticated, full of vitality… the star of the show has a distinctive personality. It leads with a white pepper scent reminiscent of expressions from Montrachet (a white Burgundy appellation), and is accompanied in the mouth by lively spice (smoked paprika) and saline notes. It is a wine with intensity, freshness and length. “It’s an impressive, international style. It has amazing vibrancy, which gives it a stand-alone quality,” said panel chair John Belsham. Having said that, he felt a fine food match would be roast chicken served with creamy mushrooms.”
5 STARS
BEST BUY
#1 TOP NZ CHARDONNAY
-Cuisine Magazine, August 2016

“An un-oaked Chardonnay, the fruit from the company’s two Hawke’s Bay vineyards, cool-fermented in stainless-steel to 13.5% alc. and 4.0 g/L RS. Bright, even straw-yellow colour with light golden hues, pale on rim. This has a light, fresh and tightly restrained nose with uncomplicated yellow stonefruit aromas, along with some melon nuances. Dry to taste and medium-bodied, clean and clear, straightforward stonefruit and citrus fruit flavours feature on the front palate. This is up-front and elegant in presentation. The mouthfeel is refreshing and crisp, and light textures guide the flow. The wine carries to a light, dry finish with stonefruit notes. This is a clean, crisp, stonefruit flavoured, unoaked Chardonnay.”
-Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, Feb 2015

“Soft-textured, fruit-focused Chardonnay with white peach, grapefruit and melon flavours supported by a subtle seasoning of spicy oak and hazelnut. Fruit and alcohol sweetness is nicely balanced by gentle acidity and a suggestion of oak tannins.”
4 STARS
92 POINTS
-Bob Campbell, www.bobcampbell.nz

“Bright and lemony, set on a medium body, with plenty of lemon meringue, toasted cedar and citrus zest notes. Tangy acidity shows on the finish.”
-Wine Spectator Magazine, Jul 31, 2015

“The 2014 Classic Range Chardonnay reveals tropical fruit notes – guava and pineapple – with bready hints. Medium bodied, it has lively freshness with decent concentration and medium to long persistence.”
-Lisa Perrotti-Brown, e.robertparker.com, #216, Jan 2015

“Youthful and charming, this is immediately appealing on the nose with ripe peach, citrus and a hint of nutty characters. The palate is equally attractive with a succulent mouthfeel and nicely balanced acidity. It’s smooth, fruit-expressive and very friendly on the palate.”
4 STARS
-Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, www.wineorbit.co.nz, November 2013

“The 2013 Chardonnay is a little subdued and neutral on the nose giving subtle notes of apple, pears and honeycomb. Medium-bodied, it has a decent amount of clean, fresh Chardonnay flavors supported by lively acidity and a medium to long finish.”
-Lisa-Perrotti Brown, eRobertParker.com #209, Oct 2013

“Fruit from the company’s two Hawke’s Bay vineyards, cool-fermented in tank to 13.5% alc. and 4.7 g/L RS, the wine bottled without oak contact. Bright, light straw-yellow colour. The nose is fresh and with bright and aromatic, ripe ciitrussy fruit aromas, along with yellow stonefruits and a lifted tropical fruit element. Dry to taste, crisp and medium-bodied, this has a light but positive core of aromatic citrus fruits. The palate has good vinosity and mouthfeel and the flavours show good substance and presence. Quite up-front and straightforward in dimension, the flavours carry cleanly to a light-fruited, stonefruit and grapefruity nuanced finish. This is a clean, crisp and dry, unoaked Chardonnay with positive mouthfeel. Serve with seafood and antipasto over the next 2+ years.”
4 STARS
17.5/20
POINTS -Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, March 2014

“Light and floral with some nice lemony-apple notes. Full, bright, sweet, lemon, fresh apple and tropical flavours here; fruity and straightforward but displays nicely balanced acidity, alcohol and phenolics. A simple, soft lemony style, that is attractive, well made and hits the spot.”
-Wine NZ Magazine, Autumn 2014

“Attractive and accessible Chardonnay with grapefruit, nectarine, peach, hazelnut and bran biscuit flavours. Ripe, almost luscious fruit flavours make this a highly drinkable wine offering excellent value at this price.”
4.5 STARS
94 POINTS
-Bob Campbell, www.bobcampbell.nz

“Bright, full, lemon-hued straw-yellow colour. The nose is light and restrained with subtle aromatic stonefruit notes expressed with simplicity and freshness. Dry to taste and medium-bodied, fresh, but subtle flavours of citrus and stonefruits show with good vinosity and presence, underlined by crisp acidity. The mouthfeel is dry, with a fine textured line that leads to a dry finish featuring citrus and white stonefruit notes. This is a clean, fresh, dry unoaked Chardonnay to serve with antipasto and seafood over the next 18 months. Fruit from two company-owned Hawke’s Bay vineyards, stainless-steel fermented to 13.0% alc. and 2.9 g/L rs, the wine bottled without oak contact.”
-Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinerviews.co.nz , Jan 2013

“Good, honest chardonnay that displays clean, peach fruit on the nose. This style is replicated in the palate with stone fruit again to the fore in a balanced mouthful. Finish is clean and crisp.”
-TiZwine.com, March 2013

“Ripe, tart wine with gently oak and intense, grapefruit laced fruit flavour that clearly marks its Hawke’s Bay origins. A well rounded mouthful it is very suave and stylish; a well melded offering which should be an easy sell for customers in search of a smart, reliable Chardonnay. A wine you could confidently stand behind.”
-Hospitality/Thirst Magazine, March 2013

“Bright, fresh fruit-focused Chardonnay with pure, tangy citrus and stone fruit flavours. Clearly the product of a cool vintage but the wine is clean and well made with good varietal definition.”
-Bob Campbell MW, www.bobswinereviews.com, March, 2013

“The 2010 Chardonnay is an unoaked style that gives notes of ripe peaches, spices apple slices and white pepper. Medium bodied with medium-high acid, it provides just enough apple and stone fruit flavour in the mouth, finishing medium-long.”
-Lisa Perrotti-Brown, e.robertparker.com, #197, Oct 2011

“Snap pea and lemon flavors are direct, with a touch of hay and herbal tea on the finish. Soft acidity. Drink now.”
-Wine Spectator Magazine Online, USA, May 2012