Struggling for attention amidst the ocean of Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc that saturates the world of wine, some of New Zealand’s other grape varieties are ascending to impressive heights of quality despite their obscurity. For a long time, Pinot Noir was the chief contender for the title of New Zealand’s Next Big Thing, and it has indeed gotten quite impressive. But it is New Zealand Chardonnay—particularly in the hands of a few talented producers—that can lay claim to being the country’s first truly world-class wine.

Like most of the world, I never paid much attention to Chardonnay from New Zealand. But then, 12 years ago, a group of Hawke’s Bay producers put on a blind, comparative tasting of their local Chardonnays alongside examples from Burgundy and Australia’s Mornington Peninsula for me and a few other visiting journalists.

A few of those wines were impressive—not approaching the level of complexity and refinement of the Burgundies, of course—but interesting and delicious enough to make me sit up and start paying attention.

Then, four years later, in 2017, I finally made it to the North Canterbury region. There, I paid a visit to Bell Hill and Pyramid Valley, and understood that New Zealand was actually capable of making some of the most exciting Chardonnays on the planet.

A Short Steep Climb

The earliest days of the New Zealand wine industry were focused on sweet wines made from hybrids and some Teutonic grape varieties. But in the 1960s, as the country began to have more interest in dry wines, Chardonnay was brought in from California and planted in several places on both the North and South islands.

“At that time, the import process was pretty simple,” says Michael Brajkovich of Kumeu River Wines near Auckland. “But those were the days before virus indexing, and those vines of the Mendoza clone were pretty heavily virused, so they struggled to ripen and to crop.”

Initially called Pinot Chardonnay, winemakers began varietal bottling in the early and mid-1960s with mixed results.

Better clonal material arrived in the 1980s, and at the same time winemakers began to experiment with barrel fermentation as knowledge and techniques from Burgundy gradually filtered into the country. With clones that would fully ripen and offer decent yields, and a growing interest in dry white wines, Chardonnay spread to every major wine region in the country.

From North to South

New Zealand lends itself well to a study of regional signatures, thanks to a certain uniformity of soil strata and a limited number of clones in use.

“Soils in New Zealand are predominantly greywacke-based throughout the country,” says local Master of Wine Emma Jenkins. “The clay content and depth vary a bit from place to place, but there are only a few places with significant differences, like the Gimblett Gravels, the limestone of North Canterbury, or the pedogenic lime of Central Otago.”

When it comes to clones, “There’s been a solid selection of clones that have come into New Zealand; everyone has pretty much figured out what works early on,” says Jenkins. Despite its tendency towards millerandage, the Mendoza clone still occupies considerable acreage in the country. In more recent years, it has been heavily augmented by the Dijon clones and the Wente clone from UC Davis in California.

With limited differences between soils and vine material (with some notable exceptions), it’s usually the combination of climate and latitude that really makes for many of the perceivable differences between wines in the country.

At the top of the North Island, days are warm, the vegetation lush, the rainfall plentiful, and the air humid. You don’t have to go much farther past the northernmost vineyards in the country for things to begin to feel downright tropical, especially in the summers.

The standard-bearer for Chardonnay on the North Island has long been Kumeu River, whose efforts with the variety near Auckland have earned it cult-like status over the years. The grape is also grown farther north in the Bay of Islands, with producers such as The Landing fighting the region’s warmth and moisture to achieve balance in their wines. Chardonnay grows successfully on Waiheke Island across the Hauraki Gulf from Auckland, but faces similar challenges with disease pressure and acid balance.

Moving south, the Hawke’s Bay region has made Chardonnay one of its signature grapes, growing it on the cliffs above the ocean, as well as in the deep alluvial soils of the Gimblett Gravels. A relatively warm region, capable of ripening the Bordeaux varieties, Hawke’s Bay generally sees less humidity than the northernmost parts of the island, making for a fairly ideal site to grow Chardonnay with a spectrum of flavors from ripe to lean.

“When we all started this business, we had a great faith in Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay, but we didn’t think it would be a particularly strong business play,” says Steve Smith, the founding Managing Director at Craggy Range. “But now it’s perhaps a stronger support to the industry than the reds. The biggest single factor is that people have worked out where to grow it.”

Producers such as Bilancia, Craggy Range, Trinity Hill, and Clearview Estate have been leaders in Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay. In nearby Gisbourne, with a similar, if slightly warmer climate, Millton Vineyards has taken Chardonnay the farthest.

The southern tip of the North Island offers a very different set of growing conditions. Swept by winds blowing up off the (very chilly) ocean, the Wairarapa region (home to the better-known Martinborough growing area) can seem downright hostile to grape growing at times. Flowering is always touch-and-go with the winds, which naturally limits yields, and the lack of rainfall doesn’t help in that department either. The Chardonnays from Martinborough are often the leanest of those on the North Island. Top Martinborough producers include Ata Rangi, Palliser Estate, Dry River, and Escarpment.

Across the Cook Strait at the top of the South Island lie the wine regions of Marlborough and Nelson. A few producers in Nelson have been making Chardonnay for some time, but the most exciting versions of the grape are coming from Marlborough, where a lot of small producers (and a few big ones) have been seeking out hillside sites with more clay that they believe are better suited to Chardonnay than the ubiquitous Sauvignon Blanc.

This far south, the days are longer and more consistently sunny, but the ocean proximity ensures nights are cooler, preserving a lot of acidity, which does the same thing for Chardonnay that it does for Sauvignon Blanc. Like Martinborough, the climate is drier, and disease pressure ends up naturally low. Marlborough Chardonnays remain much less well-known than those from Hawke’s Bay, but I suspect that won’t be true for long. Blank Canvas, Dog Point, Te Whare Ra, and Greywacke have all been making very exciting wines here.

The North Canterbury region of the South Island, along its eastern flank near Christchurch, offers a more continental climate for growing Chardonnay. But along with the windy days, chilly nights, and a lot of cloud cover even during the summer, North Canterbury also offers the country’s most accessible outcrops of limestone, which several producers are exploiting to great effect. With the continental climate, however, comes severe frost danger. When combined with the naturally reduced yields from wind during flowering and the limits of calcareous soils, making wine can be a touch-and-go proposition sometimes, given just how small the crops can be. When things go right, however, the region produces easily the most exciting Chardonnays in the country. More about the two top producers, Bell Hill and Pyramid Valley Vineyards appears below, but other names to look for include Greystone, The Bone Line, and the venerable Pegasus Bay.

Farthest south, Central Otago (including Wanaka and the Waitaki Valley) offers a region of extremes. Incredibly dry due to the rain shadow of the Southern Alps, saturated by UV light thanks to the long days at these southern latitudes, hot during the summer, and downright frigid during the winter, this region nonetheless manages to produce some excellent Chardonnay. Otago’s glacially derived soils are fast draining and low-fertility, and sometimes feature layers of pedogenic lime as well as schist.

Felton Road has led the way in the Central Otago region with Chardonnay for decades, but other producers such as Gibbston Valley Vineyards and Chard Farm have been following fast, with increasingly impressive bottlings over the years. Of particular note (though not covered in the tasting notes below) Quartz Reef has been making brilliant sparkling wines from biodynamically-farmed Chardonnay for years.

As if Central Otago weren’t cold enough, Valli Vineyards has planted in the Waitaki Valley (much closer to the eastern coast) in recent years. One of the few other locations in New Zealand with lots of limestone, Waitaki can have 30% fewer Growing Degree Days per season than Central Otago, fully earning the designation of being a marginal climate. So far, the Pinot Noirs and more alpine varieties have shown more promise than the Chardonnays, but these are early days.

The Limestone Legends

New Zealand makes a lot of really excellent Chardonnay, but two wineries stand out from the pack and always have. The fact that these two producers are a very short drive from one another can’t be chalked up to coincidence.

The limestone of the Weka Pass in North Canterbury drew Sherwyn Veldhuizen and Marcel Geisen to establish Bell Hill in 1997 on the site of an old lime works. From their earliest days, their wines set a new bar of quality for New Zealand Chardonnay. With the imminent release of their 2020 Limeworks Chardonnay, made from their purest and most difficult-to-farm slice of raw limestone terroir, they have yet again redefined the potential for the grape in New Zealand.

In 2000, Mike and Claudia Weersing established Pyramid Valley Vineyards just down the road from Bell Hill. Soon after, they began making their own magic from biodynamically-farmed vineyards on clay and fractured limestone. Their estate has since been purchased by Aotearoa New Zealand Fine Wine Estates, which has both continued and built upon the Weersings’ legacy, while adding the operational precision and elevated branding occasioned by larger budgets and luxury aspirations. The wines are as good or better than they have ever been.

These two producers represent the pinnacle of New Zealand Chardonnay and the guiding lights for where it can and should go, in terms of quality, but also style. Of course, they both possess a set of raw assets in their limestone soils that are not accessible to other producers, but their knowledge and their wines are pointing many in the right direction.

A Cohering Style

At one point during the extensive tastings that prompted this article, I discovered that my perspective on New Zealand Chardonnay was slightly different than that of my local hosts. I was joined in this tasting by two Masters of Wine, a Master Sommelier, and a few of New Zealand’s finest winemakers, all Kiwis.

Having tasted through roughly 50 of the country’s best Chardonnays, my fellow tasters discussed what they perceived as significant variations in the wines, on both a regional level and in terms of the North Island versus the South Island.

Without a doubt, obvious differences exist between the Chardonnays from the Bay of Islands, Marlborough, and Central Otago, thanks to the significant differences in those regions’ growing conditions. But what the local tasters perceived as wide contrasts, I merely found to be variations on a theme.

If you were to take 50 top California Chardonnays from Mendocino down to Santa Barbara and put them in a lineup, you’d find the differences between them to be an order of magnitude greater than the variations to be found in the wines we were tasting.

From opulent, 14.8% alcohol, pineapple, and tropical fruit Chardonnays aged in 100% new oak from Napa, to 13.1% saline, lime zest, and wet-pavement Chardonnays from the Santa Rita Hills, the stylistic gulf between California Chardonnays makes New Zealand look like a country well-practiced in singing from the same hymn book.

To my mind, this demonstrates the strength and growing maturity of the category. Not least of which, because the dominant style of New Zealand Chardonnay has evolved to be fresh, bright, nuanced, and delicious.

Yes, there are some producers, such as Dog Point, Blank Canvas, or Greywacke, who seem to—if not actively seek, then certainly tolerate—a more reductive style in their winemaking. But beyond these distinctions (and let’s be clear, some of those wines are among my favorites), I’d characterize much of the variation in New Zealand Chardonnay as admirably terroir-driven.

Side-stepping the inevitable comparison with Burgundy for a moment, let’s simply say that one of the highest achievements to which any particular class of wine (and fine wine in particular) should aspire might be to have its primary distinctions rooted in place rather than fashion.

If you should invest the time to make a close read of the tasting notes below, many of which include basic production details, you will find a remarkable similarity in how these wines were made.

TLDR? The top Chardonnay winemakers of New Zealand seem to have settled on a regimen of whole-cluster pressing, fermentation in (mostly used) oak with ambient yeasts, natural malolactic conversion, extended barrel aging in a low percentage of new oak with lees contact, and a period of time in tank or concrete (also often on fine lees) before bottling without fining, and often without filtering. Only in the warmest regions of the country do winemakers flirt with inhibiting malolactic conversion. Pretty much everywhere else, it’s required to take the edge off what can sometimes be searing acidity.

The results of this style convergence are impressive. Even more so when you realize the country has really only gotten serious about Chardonnay in the last 25 years. No disrespect meant to 80s pioneers such as Te Whare Ra, Te Mata, Kumeu River, Millton, and Chard Farm, among others. But in just a couple of decades, New Zealand has begun producing wines that easily hold their own on the world stage.

“The greatest change in Chardonnay in this country is where the grapes are coming from, how they’re grown, and the harvest criteria,” says Steve Smith.

“In the last ten years, we’ve seen a lot of cooperation in the industry, and a lot of learning,” says winemaker Warren Gibson. Not just in the vineyards but also in the cellar. “We’re all going straight to barrel with turbid wines instead of settling, and now pretty much everyone has moved away from bentonite [fining]. The natural wine movement helped everyone be able to handle a little cloudiness in their wines.”

The tastes and expectations of New Zealand consumers have also evolved. Many are now seeking out single-vineyard wines, despite higher price tags.

“Consumers now have a better understanding of price and quality, and have learned that cheap is not always best when it comes to Chardonnay,” says Emma Jenkins.

A Golden Future

As the vines mature, as winemakers continue to collaborate and experiment, I have every expectation that New Zealand Chardonnay will move from strength to strength. Some of the country’s most storied winemakers, in particular Warren Gibson of Bilancia, are making the best Chardonnays of their careers and show no signs of slowing down. Meanwhile, young winemakers such as Jordyn Harper (Craggy Range), Matt Sutherland (Dog Point), Matt Thomson (Blank Canvas), Ben McNab (Dry River), and Georgia Mehlhopt (Greystone) continue to push the bounds of quality for the variety.

New Zealand suffers the disadvantage of being an ocean away from everywhere else on the planet, not to mention its success with Sauvignon Blanc. But anyone willing to put in the energy to get their hands on some of the country’s best bottles of Chardonnay will find their efforts richly rewarded.

Tasting Notes

The following tasting notes were made non-blind over the course of several days on my February visit to New Zealand (courtesy of the NZ Fine Wine Producer’s Group), with the bulk of them captured in a comparative tasting of roughly 50 wines split across two mornings of tasting.

Wines With a Score Around 10

2020 Bell Hill Vineyard “Limeworks” Chardonnay, Weka Pass, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith and crushed stones. In the mouth, saline flavors of candied lemon peel and electric acidity have a brilliant crystalline purity and amazing lemon oil brightness that lingers with a white floral sweetness for a long time in the finish. Outstanding. Silky AF. Whole-cluster pressed and fermented with ambient yeasts. Ages for 12 months in 30% new oak. Full malolactic conversion. Ages for an additional 7 months in tank before bottling. 13.4% alcohol.

I originally scored this wine between 9.5 and 10 on my scale, but I can’t stop thinking about it. Its presence, poise, and depth keep hounding me. So 10 it is. This wine won’t be released until October of 2025. The price remains undetermined, though it will likely be north of $300, making it the most expensive white wine in New Zealand and among the top 5 most expensive wines in the country. It is, without a doubt, the best New Zealand Chardonnay I’ve ever had.

Wines With a Score Between 9.5 and 10

2014 Bell Hill Vineyard Chardonnay, Weka Pass, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of wet chalkboard, lemon pith, and lemon oil. In the mouth, exceptionally stony wet-chalkboard minerality sizzles on the palate, as saline flavors of white flowers, crushed shells, and lemon pith are electric with a crystalline purity. A stunning wine, still vibrating in the prime of its life. Whole-cluster pressed and fermented with ambient yeasts. Ages for 12 months in 30% new oak. Full malolactic conversion. Ages for an additional 7 months in tank before bottling. 13% alcohol. Cost: $140.

2022 Pyramid Valley Vineyards “Lions Tooth” Chardonnay, Waipara Valley, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Light yellow gold in the glass, this wine smells of wet pavement, lemon peel, and pink grapefruit pith. In the mouth, wonderfully crystalline flavors of lemon pith, pink grapefruit, and pomelo have a cloud-like ethereal quality that expands on the palate as white flowers and lemon pith linger in the finish. Truly lovely. Crushed whole bunches go into the press, with a couple of hours of skin contact, and are then pressed to old barrels for a wild ferment. The wine is left on lees without sulfuring for a year, and then racked to tank with sulfur for another year. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol. Cost: $82. click to buy.

Wines With a Score Around 9.5

2020 Bell Hill Vineyard Chardonnay, Weka Pass, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Light yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers, pomelo pith, and wet chalkboard. In the mouth, intensely bright flavors of lemon peel and lemon pith have a tang of lemon oil as fantastic acidity makes the mouth water, and a light sweet-sour salinity keeps the salivary glands in overdrive. There’s also an aromatic sweetness that hangs over the palate. Long, persistent, and incredibly crystalline in quality. Whole-cluster pressed and fermented with ambient yeasts. Ages for 12 months in 30% new oak. Full malolactic conversion. Ages for an additional 7 months in tank before bottling. 13.5% alcohol. 2089 bottles made. Cost: $125. click to buy.

2022 Pyramid Valley Vineyards “Field of Fire” Chardonnay, Waipara Valley, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Light yellow gold in the glass, this wine smells of struck match and lemon peel. In the mouth, intense lemon oil and lemon pith flavors mix with salty notes of yellow herbs and grapefruit pith. There’s a fantastic stony underbelly here, with some chalky texture lingering in the finish as the salivary glands go into overdrive. Crushed whole bunches go into the press, with a couple of hours of skin contact, and are then pressed to old barrels for a wild ferment. The wine is left on its lees without sulfuring for a year, and then racked to tank with sulfur for another year. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol. Cost: $110. click to buy.

2020 Pyramid Valley Vineyards “Lion’s Tooth” Chardonnay, Waipara Valley, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Light yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd, lemon peel, and resinous herbs. In the mouth, the wine is insanely bright, with electric lemon shining neon across the palate, with notes of white flowers, lemon oil, lemon peel, and chopped green herbs swirling in a saline, mouthwatering concoction. Spends 22 months in used oak barrels. 13% alcohol. Cost: $105. click to buy.

Wines With a Score Between 9 and 9.5

2010 Bell Hill Vineyard Chardonnay, Weka Pass, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Pale to light greenish gold in color, this wine smells of lemon curd and orange blossom. In the mouth, beautifully silky flavors of orange blossom water, lemon curd, and wet chalkboard have a lovely, faint stoniness along with a fior di latte creaminess that is quite seductive. There’s still some lovely saltiness here that keeps the mouth watering despite the slightly more subdued acidity that comes with age. Looooong finish. Whole-cluster pressed and fermented with ambient yeasts. Ages for 12 months in 30% new oak. Full malolactic conversion. Ages for an additional 7 months in tank before bottling. 14% alcohol. 457 bottles made. Cost: $150.

2022 Bell Hill Vineyard Chardonnay, Weka Pass, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Light greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith, lemon oil, and a hint of yellow flowers. In the mouth, lean flavors of lemon pith and lemon oil have a wonderful wet chalkboard minerality that expands to an overall chalky sensation in the mouth. Excellent acidity. The wine flirts with austerity, but has enough fruit to keep it from being too lean. Whole-cluster pressed and fermented with ambient yeasts. Ages for 12 months in 30% new oak. Full malolactic conversion. Ages for an additional 7 months in tank before bottling. 13% alcohol. Cost: $125. click to buy.

2023 Bilancia “Kaikora Vineyard” Chardonnay, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Pale yellow gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith, grapefruit, and a hint of wet chalkboard. In the mouth, juicy and tangy lemon oil and lemon pith flavors mix with a touch of flinty saline character. Excellent acidity. Whole-cluster pressed to barrels, where the wine is fermented with ambient yeasts. Full malolactic conversion. Bottled unfined. 13% alcohol. Cost: $36. click to buy.

2022 Bilancia “Trelinnoe Vineyard” Chardonnay, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Light yellow gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd, wet chalkboard, white flowers, and a hint of sea air. In the mouth, incredibly crystalline flavors of lemon pith, white flowers, and crushed stones have a gorgeous quartz-like character. Wonderful acidity and balance. Whole-cluster pressed to barrels for ambient yeast fermentation and full malolactic conversion. Ages ten months in barrel. Bottled unfined. 13% alcohol. Cost: $30. click to buy.

2021 Bilancia “Tiratore” Chardonnay, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of orange blossom and lemon oil. In the mouth, stony and intense flavors of lemon oil and orange peel mix with wet chalkboard and some white flowers as extremely bright acidity contributes a crystalline quality to the wine. Beautiful, stony, and refined. Whole-cluster pressed straight to barrel (barrique) for ambient yeast fermentation and full malolactic conversion. Ages for 10 months. Bottled without fining. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $63. click to buy.

2022 Dog Point Vineyard Chardonnay, Marlborough, New Zealand
Light yellow-gold in color, this wine smells of salty struck match and lemon curd. In the mouth, salty lemon curd mixes with pink grapefruit and a nice stony wet pavement minerality as excellent acidity, and the salinity kicks the salivary glands into overdrive. Very tasty. Gently pressed prior to overnight settling of the juice. Ambient yeast fermentation and full malolactic conversion. Aged for 18 months in 10% new oak. Bottled without fining and with only ‘minimal’ filtration. 13% alcohol. Cost: $31. click to buy.

2023 Felton Road “Block 6” Chardonnay, Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand
Light gold in color, this wine smells of herbs and flowers, lemon oil, and wet pavement. In the mouth, silky textured flavors of lemon oil, white flowers, dried yellow herbs, and grapefruit have a crystalline quality that is very arresting, with filigreed acidity that gains strength as the wine finishes stony and aromatic. Very impressive. Fermented with ambient yeasts. Aged 17 months in 5% new oak. 2 rackings, no filtration or cold stabilization. Organic and biodynamic. 14% alcohol. Cost: $86. click to buy.

2022 Greywacke Chardonnay, Marlborough, New Zealand
Light greenish gold in color, this wine smells of white flowers, lemon curd, and lemon pith. In the mouth, wonderfully bright, zingy flavors of lemon peel and lemon pith mix with candied grapefruit and a touch of wet pavement. Outstanding, almost electric acidity makes the mouth water. Whole-cluster pressed. Ambient yeast fermentation in 20% new French oak barriques. Lees stirred, 100% natural malolactic conversion. Ages for 11 months. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $40. click to buy.

2022 Kumeu River “Mate’s Vineyard” Chardonnay, Auckland, New Zealand
Light yellow gold in color, this wine smells of lemon oil, white flowers, and a hint of lanolin. In the mouth, very stony flavors of lemon pith and white flowers have a silky texture and excellent acidity. Very pretty and ethereal, with a hint of salinity that keeps the salivary glands pumping. Delicious. Whole-cluster pressed to 30% new barrels for ambient yeast fermentation. 100% malolactic conversion. Ages for 11 months on the lees and the 4 months in tank before bottling. 13% alcohol. Cost: $72. click to buy.

2023 Pyramid Valley Vineyards Chardonnay, Waipara Valley, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Light yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith and lemon zest. In the mouth, zingy flavors of candied lemon peel, lemon curd, and lemon oil have a wonderful saline brightness thanks to excellent acidity. Wonderfully stony, with a deep mineral crystalline quality. Very pretty and very long in the mouth. Comes from the old Waipara Springs vineyard. 14% alcohol. Cost: $57. click to buy.

Wines With a Score Around 9

2020 Ata Rangi “Masters” Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon and grapefruit pith. In the mouth, lemon juice, lemon pith, and grapefruit flavors are crackling with a stony, vibrant acidity. There’s a wet chalkboard quality here, as the wine heads for a tart, even slightly sour (if mouthwatering) finish. 13% alcohol. Cost: $80.

2023 Blank Canvas “Reed Vineyard” Chardonnay, Marlborough, New Zealand
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of struck match and lemon peel. In the mouth, bright lemon peel and lemon pith flavors have a nice saline quality as the struck match aromas continue. The wine finishes crisp and bright with excellent acidity. There’s a nice hint of stoniness here as well. Whole-cluster pressed. Free-run juice with full solids gets fermented with ambient yeasts in 40% new French oak puncheons. Aged for 11 months with no battonage. Bottled without fining or filtration. AMW certified. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $45

2023 Brennan Wines “Brennan” Chardonnay, Gibbston, Central Otago, New Zealand
Pale yellow gold in color, this wine smells of salty lemon curd and lemon peel. In the mouth, lemon curd and lemon peel have a nice, bright salinity and a crunchy, stony minerality that is very compelling, with excellent acidity and a faint chalky texture. Whole-cluster pressed and fermented in oak. Aged for 11 months on the lees in 30% new French oak and chestnut barrels. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $40

2023 Dry River Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale yellow gold in color, this wine smells of wet stones, lemon pith, and grapefruit pith. In the mouth, lean and stony flavors of lemon pith, grapefruit, and a hint of saline apple have a stony crystalline purity that is very attractive. I’d like slightly more zip, but it’s hard to argue with the stony flavors here. Cork closure. Whole-cluster pressed and then settled. Racked to barrels and amphorae, where the wine is fermented with ambient yeasts. Partial malolactic conversion. Spends 12 months in 30% new barrels and amphorae, then 6 months in tank before bottling. 13% alcohol. Cost: $50. click to buy.

2022 Dry River Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Palest gold in color, this wine smells of floral notes, pastry cream, and lemon oil. In the mouth, lemon pith and lemon oil flavors mix with a faint sweetness of white flowers, and very good acidity as a saline note carries lemon pith through the finish. Stony and a little chalky in texture. Cork closure. Whole-cluster pressed, settled overnight, racked to barrel for ambient yeast fermentation and partial malolactic conversion. Aged for 12 months in 30% new oak, then 4 months in tank before bottling. 13% alcohol. Cost: $50. click to buy.

2023 Escarpment Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale yellow gold in color, this wine smells of lemon pith and lemon curd with a hint of struck match. In the mouth, a touch of salinity makes flavors of lemon curd and lemon pith quite mouthwatering as excellent acidity keeps things bright. There’s a chalky, zesty quality to the wine, with a hint of orange peel in the finish. Cork closure. Whole-cluster pressed and then settled overnight. Racked to puncheons, where the wine is fermented with ambient yeasts with no stirring. Partial malolactic conversion. 3% skin contact. Ages for 11 months in 24% new oak. 13% alcohol. Cost: $35. click to buy.

2023 Felton Road “Block 2” Chardonnay, Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand
Light gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon peel, pomelo zest, and wet chalkboard. In the mouth, wonderfully mineral notes of wet chalkboard are scented with lemon pith, grapefruit, and crushed shells. Lovely, chalky texture and excellent acidity. Fermented with ambient yeasts. Aged 17 months in 5% new oak. 2 rackings, no filtration or cold stabilization. Organic and biodynamic. 14% alcohol. Cost: $74. click to buy.

2021 Greystone “Erins'” Chardonnay, Waipara Valley, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Light yellow gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers, lemon curd, and pink grapefruit. In the mouth, bright lemon, white peach, and grapefruit flavors have just a hint of salinity, and a decent acidity keeps things fresh on the palate. I do find myself wishing for a little more zip, but there’s no denying the stony underbelly of the wine, which lingers with candied lemon in the finish. Whole-cluster pressed, settled overnight, racked to oak barrel for ambient yeast fermentation and full malolactic conversion. Ages 16 months in 16% new oak. BioGro Certified Organic. 14% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 Kumeu River “Hunting Hill” Chardonnay, Auckland, New Zealand
Pale to light yellow gold in color, this wine smells of lemon curd, toasted oak, and white flowers. In the mouth, the wine is quite floral with a deep wet-chalkboard minerality that lingers for a long time through the finish as saline lemon and a touch of toasted oak flow across the palate. Excellent acidity, with a remarkable chalky grip. Whole-cluster pressed to 25% new barrels for ambient yeast fermentation. 100% malolactic conversion. Ages for 11 months on the lees and the 4 months in tank before bottling. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $80. click to buy.

2023 Pyramid Valley Vineyards “Mānatu” Chardonnay, Central Otago, New Zealand
Pale gold in the glass with a faint haze, this wine smells of wet chalkboard and citrus pith. In the mouth, notes of fior di latte and lemon pith have a nice silky texture and a faint mineral chalkiness as bright lemon curd notes linger in the finish with a hint of crushed nuts. Excellent acidity. 14% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 Smith & Sheth “CRU Heretaunga” Chardonnay, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Pale greenish gold in color, this wine smells of lemon pith, white flowers, and a whisper of oak. In the mouth, bright lemon pith and grapefruit notes mix with white flowers and a touch of wet chalkboard minerality. Good length. Excellent acidity, Whole-cluster pressed, settled overnight, and then racked into 27% new French oak barriques and puncheons for ambient yeast fermentation. 100% malolactic conversion. Ages for 9 months in oak and then 6 months in tank before bottling. 13.2% alcohol. Cost: $48. click to buy.

2022 Smith & Sheth “CRU Quinn” Chardonnay, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Pale yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of struck match, lemon curd, and lemon oil. In the mouth, silky flavors of lemon oil, lemon curd, and white flowers have a wonderful saline quality, with some wet pavement underneath. On the richer side, but the salty quality offsets the ripeness and makes for an overall tasty mouthful, with enough acidity to keep things brisk. Whole-cluster pressed and then sent to barrel for ambient yeast fermentation. Only partial malolactic conversion permitted. Spends 11 months in 100% new oak with occasional lees stirring. Bottled without fining and with ‘minimal’ filtration. 14% alcohol. Cost: $??

2023 Te Kairanga “Runholder” Chardonnay, Martinborough, New Zealand
Pale gold in the glass with a hint of green, this wine smells of white flowers and lemon curd with a whiff of struck match. In the mouth, bright lemon curd and wet chalkboard flavors mix with white flowers and a hint of grapefruit pith. Bright and juicy, with a nice weight on the palate and a lovely stony salinity. Whole-cluster pressed to 500L French oak puncheons for ambient yeast fermentation. 100% malolactic conversion. 12.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 Te Kairanga “John Martin” Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon oil and lemon zest. In the mouth, silky flavors of lemon zest and lemon pith mix with pink grapefruit and a hint of white flowers. Excellent acidity and length, with a nice stony underbelly. Whole-cluster pressed to 500L French oak puncheons for ambient yeast fermentation. 100% malolactic conversion. Ages for 10 months in 15% new oak. 12.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 The Landing Chardonnay, Bay of Islands, Northland, New Zealand
Pale yellow gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers, wet chalkboard, and a hint of nougat. In the mouth, floral notes are welded to an intensely vibrant acidity as citrus oil and wet chalkboard linger in the finish with a hint of toasted oak. Electric acidity. Really stony and deep. Free-run juice from whole clusters only, fermented with ambient yeasts and 66% malolactic conversions. Aged in 45% new French oak for 11 months before blending and an additional 6 months of aging. Crossflow filtered. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $40. click to buy.

2021 Trinity Hill Chardonnay, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers and lemon zest. In the mouth, brightly floral notes mix with lemon pith, lemon oil, and grapefruit as faintly saline notes linger with a stony underbelly in the finish. Clean and bright with a nice crystalline quality. Excellent acidity. Whole cluster pressed into 500L French oak puncheons with a small number of 228L French oak barriques for fermentation with ambient yeasts. Ages for 11 months in barrel before blending and an additional 4 months aging on lees in tank. 14% alcohol. Cost: $??

Wines With a Score Between 8.5 and 9

2023 Astrolabe Wines Chardonnay, Marlborough, New Zealand
Light yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of white peach, lemon curd, and lemon zest. In the mouth, white peach, lemon zest, and lemon juice have a faint toasted nut quality as excellent acidity keeps things quite fresh on the palate. Whole-cluster pressed, light settling overnight. Fermented in French oak puncheons and barriques. Frequent battonage and full malolactic conversion. Aged for 9 months in barrel. Bottled unfined. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2023 Ata Rangi “Pōtiki” Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale greenish gold in color, this wine smells of lemon curd, lemon cucumber, and green apple. In the mouth, bright lemon curd and green apple flavors mix with a nice wet pavement minerality. Very good acidity and a touch of white flowers in the finish, along with a chalky texture. Whole-cluster pressed to barrels, where the wine is fermented with ambient yeasts. Full malolactic conversion. Ages for 12 months in20% new 300L oak barrels. Spends 6 months in tank before bottling. 12.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 Ata Rangi “Masters” Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Palest greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of salty toasted oak and lemon oil. In the mouth, lemon pith and lemon oil mix with a hint of grapefruit and a nice chalky, stony minerality. Very good acidity and length, with texture being the primary signature of the wood smelled on the nose. Whole-cluster pressed to barrel for ambient yeast fermentation and 100% malolactic conversion. Ages for 12 months in 30% new oak, and then 6 months in tank prior to bottling. 12.5% alcohol. Cost: $80. click to buy.

2023 Blank Canvas “Tano” Chardonnay, Marlborough, New Zealand
Pale gold in color, this wine smells of lemon and pomelo pith. In the mouth, unripe nectarine and lemon peel mix with grapefruit and a hint of wet chalkboard. Nicely stony, with a crystalline aspect. Excellent acidity. Whole-cluster pressed, free-run juice gets fermented with full solids and ambient yeasts in 2500L French oak cuve. Aged for 11 months in cuve, then transferred to small stainless barrels for 4 additional months. Bottled without fining or filtration. AMW certified. 13% alcohol. Cost: $??

2021 Craggy Range “Les Beaux Cailloux” Chardonnay, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Palest greenish gold in color, this wine smells of white flowers, toasted oak, and lemon curd. In the mouth, lemon curd and wet chalkboard flavors have a chalky texture on the finish, with very good acidity. Comes across as quite stony. Whole-cluster pressed into 228L barrels for ambient yeast fermentation. Ages for 10 months in barrel and then 4 months in stainless on the lees. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 Craggy Range “Les Beaux Cailloux” Chardonnay, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Palest gold in color, this wine smells of white flowers, lemon pith, and beeswax. In the mouth, flavors of vanilla, lemon curd, and lemon pith are crisp, bright, and smooth on the palate. Very good acidity. Whole-cluster pressed into 228L barrels for ambient yeast fermentation. Ages for 10 months in barrel and then 4 months in stainless on the lees. 13% alcohol. Cost: $??

2023 Felton Road “Bannockburn” Chardonnay, Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand
Light gold in color, this wine smells of unripe nectarines, lemon peel, and lemon cucumber. In the mouth, lean lemon cucumber, unripe nectarine, and lemon pith flavors mix with a touch of pomelo and chopped herbs. Stony and bright with excellent acidity and faint chalky texture. Fermented with ambient yeasts. Aged 13 months in 10% new oak. 2 rackings, no filtration or cold stabilization. Organic and biodynamic. 14% alcohol. Cost: $49. click to buy.

2023 Gibbston Valley “China Terrace” Chardonnay, Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand
Pale to light gold in color, this wine smells of faintly salty lemon and unripe nectarine. In the mouth, lemon peel and lemon pith mix with grapefruit and wet chalkboard minerality, with excellent acidity. Whole-cluster pressed, settled, racked off solids, and then fermented with ambient yeasts in barrel, with full malolactic conversion. Aged for 16 months in 10% new oak. 14% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 Mahi “Twin Valleys” Chardonnay, Marlborough, New Zealand
Light yellow-gold in color, this wine smells of lemon curd and a hint of melted butter. In the mouth, lemon curd and candied lemon peel flavors mix with a hint of white peach and a touch of dried mango. There’s a hint of stoniness here, and decent acidity. Whole cluster free-run juice goes direct to barrel with full solids for an ambient yeast fermentation. Aged for 15 months in oak on full lees. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2023 Martinborough Vineyard “Home Block” Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of yeasty lemon pith and struck match. In the mouth, faintly saline flavors of struck match, lemon pith, grapefruit, and a hint of lemon curd. Juicy and bright with very good acidity. 13% alcohol. Fermented and aged in barrique, 20% new. Cost: $??

2023 Oraterra Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale yellow gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd and vanilla with a hint of florality. In the mouth, lemon pith, lemon oil, and a touch of lemon curd have a pink grapefruit quality that lingers with a touch of vanilla in the finish. Very good acidity and underlying stoniness. Whole-cluster pressed and then settled overnight. Racked to large format barrels, where the wine is fermented with ambient yeasts with no stirring. Incomplete malolactic conversion. Aged in 20% new hogsheads and puncheons for 12 months, then in 1000L foudre for 4 months on fine lees. Bottled unfined. 12.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2020 Palliser Estate “Om Santi” Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of vanilla and lemon curd. In the mouth, stony flavors of lemon curd and vanilla take on an aromatic sweetness. Decent acidity and length. Farmed organically. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 Pegasus Bay “VIRTUOSO” Chardonnay, Waipara Valley, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Light yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of struck match and lemon oil. In the mouth, smoky notes of candied lemon, lemon curd, and orange peel have an intense quality, with bright acidity and a chalky texture that lingers in the finish with a hint of that smoky quality. Perhaps too much wood presence here, but it is managed quite well. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 Pyramid Valley Vineyards Chardonnay, Waipara Valley, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Pale yellow-gold in color, this wine smells of lemon curd, white peaches, white flowers, and yellow herbs. In the mouth, yellow herbs, lemon peel, and unripe peach flavors have a cloudy, chalky texture and filigreed acidity. There’s a stony note underneath everything. Whole-cluster pressed and fermented with ambient yeasts. Aged for 12 months in 20% new French oak barrels and then a concrete Tulipe for 5 more months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 14% alcohol. Cost: $57. click to buy.

2022 Te Kairanga “John Martin” Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd and lemon pith with a hint of something more tropical. In the mouth, lemon pith and lemon curd flavors mix with grapefruit and a touch of wet chalkboard. Excellent, zingy acidity with a hint of lemon zest lingering in the finish.12.5% alcohol. 100% Malo. Fermented and aged in puncheon. Cost: $??

2023 Te Kairanga Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith and pink grapefruit. In the mouth, bright and juicy flavors of pink grapefruit and lemon pith mix with nectarine, as a crisp stony underbelly adds a mineral dimension to the wine. 12.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 Trinity Hill “125 Gimblett” Chardonnay, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Pale greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of white flowers, lemon pith, and a hint of orange peel. In the mouth, zippy flavors of lemon peel and orange peel mix with wet chalkboard and a nice pithy, zesty lemon and orange quality that vibrates on the palate thanks to excellent acidity. There’s a faint heat in the finish. Fermented half with ambient yeasts, and half inoculated in a combination of 500L French oak puncheons and 228L French oak barrels. Aged for 12 months and then 6 months in tank on lees before bottling. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

Wines With a Score Around 8.5

2023 Cloudy Bay Chardonnay, Marlborough, New Zealand
Pale greenish gold in color, this wine smells of lemon and pastry cream, white flowers, and a hint of sweet cucumber. In the mouth, lemon curd, pastry cream, and a hint of pomelo pith have a softer, filigreed acidity and a chalky grip. Whole-cluster pressed, settled, and then racked into barrique and oak cuve for fermentation and elevage. Ages for 11 months in 20% new oak. Full malolactic conversion. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $40. click to buy.

2022 Craggy Range Chardonnay, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Palest gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith and white flowers. In the mouth, floral notes mix with lemon and pomelo pith as a silky texture moves the wine across the palate. More delicate acidity here comes across as slightly soft, despite the stony underbelly of the wine. Whole-cluster pressed, settled overnight, and then fermented with ambient yeasts in barrel & puncheon. Ages for 10 months in barrel. 13% alcohol. Cost: $??

2021 Mahi “Alchemy” Chardonnay, Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand
Light yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of struck match, lemon curd, and orange peel. In the mouth, lemon curd and lemon peel flavors have a faint salinity, with decent acidity and a stony, chalky note that lingers in the finish. A bit rich. Whole-cluster pressed direct to barrel of free-run juice with full solids. Ambient yeast fermentation. Ages for 15 months on full lees. 14.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 Martinborough Vineyard “Home Block” Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale to light yellow gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith and a hint of oak. In the mouth, stony lemon pith and lemon juice flavors are lean and bright with good acidity, but there’s some dynamism lacking here. Notes of oak linger in the finish. Whole-cluster pressed to French oak barrels for ambient yeast fermentation and 100% malolactic conversion. Aged for 12 months in barrel. 13% alcohol. Cost: $??

2021 Martinborough Vineyard Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon pith and lemon curd. In the mouth, flavors of lemon curd and lemon peel are bright with very good acidity, but slightly angular and a little bitter. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2023 Palliser Estate “Om Santi” Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale to light yellow gold in color, this wine smells of salty lemon curd and a hint of melted butter. In the mouth, flavors of lemon pith and curd mix with a touch of melted butter that comes up slightly short on the palate. Very good acidity but missing some length. 13% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 Prophet’s Rock “Cuveé Aux Antipodes” Chardonnay, Pisa, Central Otago, New Zealand
Pale gold in color, this wine smells of lemon oil, a hint of tarragon, and wet chalkboard. In the mouth, that green herbal note of tarragon persists with lemon cucumber, lemon pith, and wet stone notes. Softer acidity than I would like, but quite a distinct and individual character. Whole cluster pressed, ambient yeast fermentation. Full malolactic conversion. Spends 18 months in 15% new oak. 13% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 Pyramid Valley Vineyards “Springs” Chardonnay, Waipara Valley, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Light yellow-gold in the glass with a faint haze, this wine smells of lemon curd, white flowers, and candied lemon peel. In the mouth, softer acidity marks beautiful flavors of lemon peel, white flowers, and a touch of honey. There’s a nice underlying stoniness here, but not enough acidity for the wine to be truly exciting. Hand-picked, foot-stomped, and whole bunch pressed. Transferred to oak without settling. Ambient yeast fermentation and malolactic conversion. Aged for 12 months on full lees without sulfur additions, then racked and blended and aged in a concrete Tulipe on fine lees for another 6 months over a second winter. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 14% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 La Ferme de Sato “Le Chant du Vent” Chardonnay, Pisa, Central Otago, New Zealand
Light yellow gold in the glass, this wine smells of candied orange peel and lemon oil. In the mouth, flavors of lemon peel and orange peel mix with lemon pith and wet pavement as decent acidity adds some freshness. I’d like this wine to have a bit more cut. Whole-cluster pressed in a vertical basket press overnight. Fermented with ambient yeasts and 100% natural malolactic conversion. Aged for 16 months in 500L puncheon barrels, 18% new. 15mg/L added SO2. No fining and no filtration. 14.1% alcohol. Cost: $50. click to buy.

2021 Smith & Sheth “CRU Howell Vineyard” Chardonnay, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
Pale to light greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon curd and salty toasted oak. In the mouth, toasted oak and salty lemon curd flavors mix with a hint of butterscotch as chalky, more mineral undertones move across the palate. There’s a chalky grip to the wine, with notes of sweet oak lingering in the finish. Too much wood influence here for my taste. Whole-cluster pressed and fermented in a blend of new and aged French oak barriques with ambient yeasts. 83% new oak. 100% malolactic conversion. Ages for 11 months with occasional lees stirring. Bottled without fining and with ‘minimal’ filtration. 14% alcohol. Cost: $??

2021 The Landing “Madre” Chardonnay, Bay of Islands, Northland, New Zealand
Light greenish gold in the glass, this wine smells of toasted oak, white flowers, and a hint of resinous chamomile. In the mouth, bright and intense lemon oil and lemon zest flavors mix with a hint of the tropical, as a light, grippy texture and a touch of toasted oak linger in the finish with a touch of heat. Rich and ripe, with very good acidity. Whole-cluster pressed to a mix of barriques and puncheons for fermentation. Aged on full lees for 11 months before blending to tank for a further 12 months of aging before bottling. 14% alcohol. Cost: $??

Wines With a Score Between 8 and 8.5

2023 Black Estate “Home” Chardonnay, North Canterbury, New Zealand
A pale to light gold in the glass with a faint haze to it, this wine smells of wet chalkboard, lemon pith, and a hint of yogurt. In the mouth, chalky flavors of lemon pith and grapefruit mix with a touch of banana. Softer acidity than I would like, and perhaps a bit too “natural” for my taste. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2023 Greystone Chardonnay, Waipara Valley, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Light yellow gold in color, this wine smells of salty candied lemon peel and peach jam. In the mouth, lemon curd, melted butter, and candied lemon peel flavors are rich and ripe, as a lightly chalky texture and decent acidity keep things relatively fresh. There’s a hint of struck match salinity here, but I wish it were backed with stronger acidity. Just too soft. Whole-cluster pressed, settled overnight, racked to 228L barrels, where the wine ferments with ambient yeasts and goes through full malolactic conversion. Ages for 9 months in barrel. BioGro Certified Organic. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2023 Palliser Estate Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale gold in color, this wine smells of toasted oak and lemon pith. In the mouth, toasty oak, crushed nuts, and lemon pith are somewhat short on the palate. Stony, but missing some length, and definitely too much oak influence. 13% alcohol. Cost: $??

2022 Quartz Reef Chardonnay, Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand
Pale gold in color, this wine smells of white flowers, a hint of vanilla, and wet chalkboard. In the mouth, softer acidity accompanies flavors of white flowers, lemon pith, and pastry cream. Just needs more acidity. Far too soft. Whole-cluster pressed, barrel fermented with ambient yeasts, and full malolactic conversion. Certified Demeter biodynamic and Biogro organic. 13.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

2023 Schubert Wines Chardonnay, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Pale gold in color, this wine smells of nutty oak and lemon pith. In the mouth, the wine is tight and lean, with lemon and toasted nuts, and oak. Decent acidity, but compressed and a bit short. Whole-cluster pressed to French oak barrels for fermentation with occasional battonage. Certified organic. 12.5% alcohol. Cost: $??

Wines With a Score Around 8

2023 Black Estate “Bottom Block” Chardonnay, North Canterbury, New Zealand
Light gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon and yogurt with a hint of warm hay. In the mouth, slightly tangy and yogurty lemon pith and pomelo peel flavors have a chalky texture and softer acidity than I would like. 14% alcohol. Cost: $??

2023 Valli Chardonnay, Waitaki Valley, New Zealand
Pale yellow gold in the glass, this wine smells of wet chalkboard and lemon pith. In the mouth, very lean lemon pith and wet chalkboard flavors have a frosted windowpane quality that is quite interesting but ultimately a bit more austere than it is delicious. For all the cool, stony flavors, there’s surprisingly soft acidity here. Whole-cluster pressed and then fermented with some solids in 23% new French oak barrels with cultured yeast. 100% malolactic conversion. Ages for 11.5 months in oak. 13% alcohol. Cost: $??