"This is exquisitely expressed on the nose showing white flesh stone fruit, oatmeal, lemon peel, jasmine and wet limestone characters. The palate is concentrated and superbly weighted, brilliantly supported by fine texture and bright acidity. The wine is restrained and stylish with lovely fruit purity backed by subliminal oak undertones, finishing impressively long and linear. At its best: 2019 to 2023" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, July 2018

"Bright straw-yellow colour with pale gold hues, lighter on the edge.  The nose is light with fresh and detailed aromas of citrus fruit and yellow stonefruits along with nuances of creamy barrel-ferment and nutty oak.  The aromatics possess a steely freshness unfolding saline suggestions, and express youth.  Medium=bodied, the palate has a softly rich and deep heart with white and yellow stonefruits, with citrus fruit notes, and a layering of creamy, nutty oak.  The MLF is well-integrated and harmonious.  The flavours form a positive, rounded core and the mouthfeel is fresh from lacy acidity.  The wine flows to a soft and light, lingering finish of citrus fruit and nuts.  This is a softly rich Chardonnay with stonefruit and citrus fruit flavours, along with nutty oak and a fresh mouthfeel.  Serve with seafood and poultry over the next 3-4 years.  Primarily Mendoza and clone 15 fruit from Te Awanga with a small portion from Maraekakaho, 60% fermented in tank and 40% in new and seasoned barrels to 13.0% alc., the wine aged 10 months on lees with 60% MLF" Raymond Chan, Jul 2018

A classic, generous Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay. An alluring nose of citrus, vanilla and spicy clove leads into a full, rich palate of white peaches, bright acidity and layered toasty oak complexity. Will cellar beautifully for up to five years and with careful cellaring up to ten.

Premium grapes were first grown in Te Awanga at the beginning of last century. The warm coastal climate, gentle sea breezes and shallow clay soils combine to produce award winning wines of great varietal flavour and finesse. Our Mendoza and clone 15 Chardonnay vines range from 14 to 20 years old with a combination of rootstocks.
Autumn 2017 was a little unsettled but came at the end of an advanced growing season. Expert canopy management, including shoot thinning and leaf plucking, has ensured vine health, ideal flavours and clean, ripe fruit.

A combination of machine and handpicked fruit was gently pressed and run to a mixture of new and used French oak barriques and stainless-steel tanks for fermentation. The wine rested on lees for ten months where it underwent a partial MLF. It was gently stirred every couple of weeks for four months before it was blended, lightly fined and bottled in early 2018

Food Pairing: Serve with grilled and roasted seafood and poultry dishes.