Te Mata Estate Elston Chardonnay Hawkes Bay – 2022

Produced since 1984, Elston is grown on the estate’s oldest vines on hillsides overlooking the winery. The grapes are fully hand harvested from their separate, individual plots of vines, carefully sorted then fermented in a mix of new and seasoned French oak barrels. The wine then spends 10 months after fermentation resting on its lees in barrel to gain further complexity and depth.

This example from the superb 2022 vintage has enticing aromas of golden nectarines, passion fruit and grilled pineapple, with additional flavours of roasted cashew nuts and buttered toast from its time spent in oak barrels. Excellent fruit concentration and intensity with lively acidity and a long, mineral length. Complex, savoury, fresh and elegant, 2022 was another fantastic vintage for Elston!

“Light-mid yellow colour; subtle nutty/nougat and wheat-meal complexities, the palate tremendously intense, bright, tensioned and focused, with terrific balance and persistence. The subtle complexities really creep up on you. Great concentration and crystalline focus. It is superb now and will richly reward cellaring.” 97/100 Huon Hooke of The Real Review