Chardonnay and Hawke’s Bay go together like fish and chips, or music and chores. At the end of a favourably warm, dry, low-cropping vintage, several winegrowers enthused about the “amazing concentration” of their 2021 chardonnays.
The wines reviewed here were sent by the industry body, Hawke’s Bay Winegrowers, as a celebration of the region, variety and vintage.
Esk Valley Seabed Chardonnay 2021 (★★★★★, $50)
A standout, this wine is grown at the edge of the former Ahuriri Estuary, lifted by the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake. Fragrant and full-bodied, it has rich, vibrant, peachy, slightly biscuity flavours, fresh acidity, impressive complexity and a long tightly structured finish.
Collaboration Aurulent Chardonnay 2021 (★★★★★, $36)
For value, it’s hard to go past three wines. This chardonnay is fragrant, full-bodied and savoury, with rich, slightly buttery and toasty flavours.
Askerne Reserve Chardonnay 2021 (★★★★★, $35)
Already delicious, this wine is mouthfilling, with rich, ripe, stonefruit flavours, oak complexity and excellent harmony.
Tony Bish Heartwood Chardonnay 2021 (★★★★★, $35)
A classic regional style – weighty, sweet-fruited, with strong, peachy, toasty flavours.
Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Terraces Chardonnay 2021 (★★★★★, $100)
Looking for wines to cellar? Full of youthful vigour, this chardonnay is a powerful, Tuki Tuki Valley wine with a fragrant, smoky bouquet, intense flavours and a tight, persistent finish.
Elephant Hill Earth Chardonnay 2021 (★★★★★, $65, to be released October 1)
A weighty, Bridge Pā Triangle wine with fresh acidity, penetrating, citrusy, mealy flavours and a long life ahead.
Helio Chardonnay 2021 (★★★★½, $40)
Chablis-like, it focuses on its generous, peachy, citrusy fruit flavours and is restrained and refined.
Swift Bridge Pā Triangle Chardonnay 2021 (★★★★½, 12.5% alc/vol, $36)
A fragrant, medium-bodied wine with fresh, vigorous fruit flavours, biscuity, savoury notes and a crisp, dry finish.
Clearview Reserve Chardonnay 2021 (★★★★★, $45)
A regional classic, was estate-grown on the coast, at Te Awanga. Fresh and mouthfilling, it has rich, vibrant, stonefruit flavours, slightly toasty and buttery notes adding complexity and a very finely balanced lengthy finish.
Smith & Sheth Cru Howell Vineyard Chardonnay 2021 (★★★★★, $60)
A powerful wine from the Bridge Pā Triangle with concentrated stonefruit flavours, seasoned with toasty oak, and excellent complexity.
Trinity Hill 125 Gimblett Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2021 (★★★★★, $80)
A very elegant Gimblett Gravels wine, fragrant and weighty, with searching, vibrant fruit flavours, fresh acidity, notable complexity and a long seamless finish.
Wine of the week
Bilancia Kaikora Vineyard Chardonnay 2021 (★★★★★, $50)
One of my favourites. Is this the best wine yet from Central Hawke’s Bay? Grown at Ōtāne, it is mouthfilling, with intense, vigorous, grapefruit-like flavours, mealy and savoury.
