Pyramid Valley North Canterbury Chardonnay 2020

“A blend of three vineyards including some of the oldest Chardonnay in the country (going back to 1982), the 2020 Chardonnay North Canterbury is seductive, ripe and creamy, with smoky oak and grilled nut-like characters (25% new barrels including Mercurey). The ripe fruit quality is excellent and generous; hand-harvesting and whole-bunch pressing followed by a full year on lees has brought both purity of fruit and textural weight. There’s tension and nerve on the finish, which leaves a salty tang. A wine that has as many layers as mille-feuille.”

"Pure, ripe, distinctive and new. Aromas of fresh citrus and mineral with wet pebbles and chalk, additional core fruit scents of apple and white fleshed stone fruits, a gun-flint quality and youthful energy. Modern, fresh, youthful and delicious on the palate. A fine palate with medium+ weight, lots of energy with citrus and apple, white fleshed fruits, white flowers and a long fine finish. Layers of gun-flint and lees, fruit and judicious use of barrel with some spice moments."

"Again, this is a texturally phenomenal wine. Steve and Huw don’t like fining, so there is buoyancy and traction here that breeds stunning weight and a modicum of fruit exoticism. Any exuberance is tempered by raspy, saline acidity that snaps the palate back to order, makes the mouth water and balances the pliant fruit perfectly. This cunning acid line allows this wine to play with more fruit weight and depth than might ordinarily be the case." 18/20

"Bright, light yellow/green, it is fragrant and mouthfilling, with rich stonefruit flavours, finely integrated oak, good acid spine and excellent complexity. Best drinking mid-2023+." 4.5 stars