"Brilliant light golden-yellow colour with some depth, a little lighter on the edge.  The nose is softly concentrated with good depth and intensity of aromatic yellow stonefruits and citrus fruits, along with a little oak vanillin providing lift, unfolding subtle nutty oak and creamy barrel-ferment notes, and a little complexing oxidative detail.  Medium-bodied, the palate has sweetly rich and softly concentrated flavours of yellow stonefruits and a little citrus fruit, along with creamy barrel-ferment and lifted, nutty oak elements.  The fruit forms a rounded, moderately concentrated and well-balanced core, with a fresh underlay of lacy acidity that lends freshness and energy.  The wine carries with good linearity to a lingering finish.  This is a gently rounded and concentrated Chardonnay with stonefruit, lifted oak vanillins and nutty oak detail on a fresh, linear palate.  Match with poultry and pork over the next 4 years.  100% Mendoza clone Chardonnay in approx. equal parts from Upper Dartmoor and Bay View, hand-picked and WBP, 95% fermented in barrel and 5% in new French oak ‘Ovum’ to 13.0% alc., the wine aged approx. 12 months in 25% new Taransaud oak, undergoing batonnage and 100% MLF" Raymond Chan, May 2018 

"Barrel-fermented. 25% new oak. Fine and expressive with bright citrus and pear fruit with a delicacy and refinement. Subtle toasty oak right in the background adding a fine spiciness. Classic Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay with nice presence" Jamie Goode, Oct 2018

"Refine and stylish, this gorgeously expressed chardonnay shows golden peach, fig, nougat, vanilla and hazelnut aromas on the nose, leading to a wonderfully weighted palate that is silky and creamy. The wine offers terrific fruit power, while remaining perfectly balanced and harmonious, leading to an impressively long engaging finish. At its best: 2019 to 2023" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, May 2018

"This stylish, barrel-fermented wine was grown in the upper Dartmoor Valley and on the coast at Bay View.  The bouquet is fragrant and complex; the palate mouthfilling (13% alc/vol), fresh and vibrant, with finely balanced acidity, mealy, toasty notes adding richness and complexity, and deep, ripe grapefruit and peach flavours" Micheal Cooper, The Listener, April 2018

Pale lemon straw appearance in the glass. Peach, vanilla, and spicy oak notes lift on the nose. There is a pistachio nut complexity overlying the ripe stone-fruit expression. The palate carries the ripe stone-fruit peachy notes and creamy pistachio nougat mingled with vanilla bean and hints of nutmeg. Complex barrel fermented notes complement the warm summer fruits, yielding a richly layered and textured palate.

100% Barrel Fermented, French Oak in 25% New Oak to 100% MLF.