2020 Isabel Estate Aratoro Single Vineyard Chardonnay
G 97
Pale colour. Fresh musky pear, grapefruit, hint honey aromas with flinty, saline notes. Richly flavoured and textural wine with ample grapefruit, pear, tonic water, flinty flavours, fine chalky textures, lovely mid-palate viscosity and bell clear acidity. Finishes al dente and minerally. Masterful winemaking showing impressive fruit definition, complexity, volume
and energy. Now–keep for a while 2021 Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay
G 97
Very expressive nose, lifted bouquet of white flowers, jasmine, yellow apple, white peach. Beautiful intensity, vibrancy and freshness. Wonderful cut of crystalline acidity underpinning with a long almost saline finish. Still very young but already drinking well and showing impressive integration. Wow! 2020 Isabel Estate Wild Barrique Chardonnay G 96 Pale colour. Intense flinty, grapefruit, lemon curd hint yeasty aromas. Beautifully balanced and modern style with fresh lemon curd, grapefruit, tonic water, hint ginger flavours, fine lacy textures and integrated linear acidity. Finishes minerally/crunchy and long. Now–2027 2020 Craggy Range Les Beaux Cailloux Chardonnay G 96 Opens with gunflint, struck-match reduction, hint of lemon pith and wet stone. Round and rich, excellent intensity, power and concentration. Lovely integration of toasty, nutty oak leading to a long finish. Drinking very well now; has excellent potential for the future. 2020 Smith & Sheth CRU Howell Chardonnay G 96 Very intense, buttery, nutty, excellent concentration. White peach and richer riper toast. Lots of power and concentration. Excellent length and persistence. Bigger, fuller style with great balance and pulls everything off. Wow! 2020 The Landing Madre Chardonnay G 96 Restrained bouquet with a hint of gun-flint reduction. Opens lively and bright with an elegant backbone of fine acidity. Notes of white peach to start, then slowly unfolds to reveal lovely layers with time in the glass. Finishes long. Beautifully balanced.
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The Vintage Journal
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