Tasting Note:
Pure grapefruit zest, citrus, stonefruit kernel, a hint of roasted nuts, all bound in enlivening acid. The satisfying palate weight carries the acid completely without effort; it just shrugs it off. Very clean, already showing some length, which will no doubt build gracefully. A pleasing absence of oak notes…in fact a pleasing absence of everything but essence of
Chardonnay. A definite candidate for benchmark
Reviews:
94 points, James Suckling
Refined mineral aromas of lemon peel, apple skin, orange blossoms and flint. The palate is light- to medium-bodied, giving notes of Asian pears, mandarin pith, puff pastry and lime curd. Tightly wound, framed by high-tension acidity. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
92 points Vinous Media
The 2023 Chardonnay Bannockburn is good enough to eat. Richly weighted, round and delectably textured, this fills the mouth with its seamless curves. Imagine festive spices allied with toasted nuts (10% new oak), white nectarine skin flavors and a lees-derived nutty richness (11 months).
90 points, Wine Advocate
The 2023 Bannockburn Chardonnay is lean and tremendously tightly coiled at this stage, with notes of crushed and salted nuts, white peach, lemon, green apple and lemongrass. In the mouth, the acidity is a real factor in the drinking experience: it defines the finish and contributes to the overall leanness of the wine. It's crunchier than expected, but at 14% alcohol, it's certainly not underripe. Interesting angles, all of them. The Felton Road vineyard is situated below the 45th parallel, making it and the vineyards of southern New Zealand some of the most southern vineyards on the planet. Sealed under screw cap.