Drew Noon’s powerful reds were toned down a notch by the cool, wet 2011 vintage and his bargain quaffer has taken on an alluringly perfumed, savoury, spicy lift. Pink pepper, rose bud and savoury spice are expressive of both the season and the prominence of grenache in this McLaren Vale blend. Its undercurrent of savoury, […]

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Fermented purely in tank, the focus remains squarely on zesty grapefruit and crunchy white peach fruit. Without the benefit of oak, a few clever tricks in the winery (gentle lees stirring and partial malolactic fermentation) build some texture and mouthfeel to this fresh and lively style. $19 at Hunt for Wine.

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I’ve learnt more about New Zealand chardonnay over the past decade from Kumeu River winemaker Michael Brajkovich than anyone else, and a recent visit revealed that the learning curve at this celebrated estate is as steep as ever. Clever techniques of lees ageing in tank, of pressing for both finesse and tannin texture and of […]

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New Zealand is proving its credentials with chardonnay all the way from Kumeu in the north to Central Otago in the south, and here’s proof that the celebrated red wine turf of Hawke’s Bay is very much in the race. This barrel fermented style from the heart of limestone hill country delivery impressively soft and […]

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Auntsfield’s ancient soils of Marlborough’s southern valleys leave their stamp of consummately textured, stony mouthfeel that lingers long on the finish. Excellent acid drive and a determined persistence promise a strong future in the cellar. Right now it blossoms with lemon zest, white peach flesh and grapefruit perfume; its fruit presence refined and focused, understated […]

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Nelson’s characteristically cool, maritime climate is preserved accurately in the focused, taut, energetic lemon zest and white peach fruit of this refined chardonnay. Its lingering, stony texture speaks of the stony soils of the region, leaving oak (French and even some American) to settle comfortably into the background. $26 at Cellar d’Or.

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Enticingly poised, with silky white peach fruit flowing into grapefruit zest and fresh fig, finishing with the fine, stony mineral texture of Martinborough, drawn out long by a fine tail of soft, well-integrated acidity. A rounded finish makes for an attractive, earlier drinking style. $35 at Cracka and NZ Wine Online.

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“You’ve got to be very fussy,” is Michael Brajkovich’s mantra, as he explains his regime of assessing every new barrel each year to determine which to buy again next year. It’s an attention to detail that extends to everything here, as evidenced in the immense definition and structural focus of this wine. Tightly honed citrus […]

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This spicy and textural style relies equally on stony texture from the stony Gimblett Gravels as it does on acidity to build tension, structure and definition. Impressive grapefruit spice and lemon blossom sit over white peach and pear, carried through a long finish, accented with zesty acidity. $32 at Wine Style.

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For all the fame of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc and its ever-rising success with pinot noir, chardonnay has been the quiet member of the family, never quite meeting the grade. Until now. There’s an understated confidence to this wine, a seamless inner harmony and a refined texture that unravels slowly through the palate. It’s elegant, […]

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