A friend sometimes looks up the reviews of famed English wine writer Jancis Robinson MW on a wine that he is interested in, or has just tasted, and has been known to remark "even mean old Jancis gave it such and such a score". There are times when he could substitute Mark for Jancis as I have a proclivity for scoring on the lower side rather than dishing out high scores willy nilly. Consequently, following tasting and writing up my notes for today’s wines I did a double take as I have scored them uniformly highly. I went back to my notes, and can only say that these are a classy set of wines, all of which I would love to be in my cellar, and all deserving your attention. 2023 Domaine Rewa Central Otago Chardonnay Price RRP $55 Rating Outstanding Lots going on, very aromatic, stone fruit and peach, clay and minerality, florality, light nuttiness, a little undercurrent of green herbs, complex. Delightful palate, vibrant stonefruits, hints of nuts, a lactic/ leesy quality, wet stone backdrop and fine citrussy acidity that lends a mouth quenching quality. Complex, classy, elegant, real brightness and a long, long finish. www.domainerewa.com 2022 Isabel Estate Wild Barrique Wairau Valley Chardonnay Price RRP $39.99 Rating Outstanding Notes of gunflint and struck match lead, backed by white peach, warm baguette, a little clotted cream, quite refined. In the mouth, depth without weight, grilled nuts, peach, a touch of intrigue, mouth-filling and beautifully balanced. The juicy, lip-smacking close leads to a long, long citrus inflected finish. Crunchy, vibrant, equally at home with or without food. www.isabelestate.co.nz 2023 Mora Central Otago Chardonnay Price RRP $48 Rating Excellent to Outstanding Slatey/schisty minerality, lemon/ lime, an undercurrent of nectarine and nuts. Creamy palate entry, again nectarine and citrus notes, nothing overstated, working so well as a whole, quiet depth of flavour draws you back for more. With air the wine opens up, smoke, spent match and clay on the nose, now peach on the palate as the wine fleshes out and really engages. www.mora.co.nz 2023 Greywacke Marlborough Chardonnay Price RRP $48 Rating Outstanding Gunflint, tilled earth lead, the nose swells, smoke, peach, stony mineral/oyster shell, grilled nuts and spice. Gorgeous nose. The palate continues the journey, texture, balance and integration, super flavour intensity and wonderful carry with nutty influences. Really fine grip to this promising more in the cellar. Now clotted cream nuances, citrus zest framing the long finish. www.greywacke.com 2024 Ruru Central Otago Chardonnay Price RRP $29 Rating Excellent Ripe, tropically fruited nose with peach and melon accents, lime zest, full cream and cashew nut backdrop. Youthful freshness and chewy grip, again melon notes, the fruit now more in the stonefruit spectrum. Bright, there’s nice energy to this with crisp acidity leaving the palate refreshed. Magic with food now and should repay cellaring nicely. Post reveal, great value for money. www.ruruwines.co.nz 2024 Gibbston Valley China Terrace Central Otago Chardonnay Price RRP $49 Rating Outstanding Real freshness here, something different, crushed herbs perhaps, fruit pastille, cream, nuts, just ripe peach, hits some different notes. Beautifully creamily textured palate, peach, lime, a fine leesy/creaminess, deceptive power and youthful grip, really mouth-filling. Develops gorgeous perfume, now wisps of salinity on the palate, there can only be good things ahead. www.gibbstonvalley.com
