Chardonnay, like most good wines, can develop with time.
When young and newly bottled, like the Rockburn 2007 they can be shy, hiding their promise under a cloak of austerity, but given another six months they will have rounded out and the flavours developed.
After a couple of years, like the Lawsons 2004, they take on a slightly different character, perhaps more nutty butterscotch overtones which can be more interesting.
A few older chardonnays are now appearing in shops - they're worth a try.
Wine sent for review is tasted blind. These are personal recommendations. charmian.smith@ odt.co.nz
Rockburn Central Otago Chardonnay 2007 (about $25) is tight with hints of peach and grapefruit, a suggestion of mineral and nuttiness, but a silky texture, persistence and finesse suggest this tightly focused, mostly unoaked wine will develop over the next year or so.
3 1/2 stars (out of 5)
Average value
Highgate Estate Heartbreaker Central Otago Chardonnay 2007 (about $25) is a full-on wine with oodles of fruit - peach, apricot, honey, supported by oak and a leesy, nuttiness and a zesty, crisp finish.
3 1/2 stars (out of 5)
Average value
Lawsons Dry Hills Marlborough Chardonnay 2004 (about $28) compared with the fruit-filled unoaked chardonnay 2007 ($21 ***) this older wine is mellow with nutty, buttery and smoky bacon background tones, but still with hints of citrus and a crisp finish.
3 1/2 stars (out of 5)
Poor value
Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2007 (about $30) a powerful wine, with rich hints of figs and dried peaches, oodles of nutty, oak and crisp, long finish.
Seventh heaven for those who like oaky chardonnays.
3 1/2 stars (out of 5)
Poor value
CJ Pask Declaration Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2006 (about $35) has become a benchmark over the years with its finely-honed structure, silky texture and stylish oak all supporting the ripe fruit.
A complex, intense, full-on wine that will develop with age.
4 stars (out of 5)
Martinborough Vineyard Chardonnay 2006 (about $40) a delicious wine from the first sniff to the lingering aftertaste, this is stylish with toasty, spicy oak citrus, nuts, a hint of butterscotch, silky texture, complexity and intensity.
A chardonnay with everything.
4 1/2 stars (out of 5)
