These Chardonnays were selected by Cameron Douglas, MS, as the Hawke’s Bay Annual Chardonnay Collection Vintage 2022. 42 wines submitted, and these were the ones Cam chose. This is the fourth time this exercise has been undertaken, and my notes on the 2021 selection are here.
Askerne Chardonnay 2022 Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
13.5% alcohol. This is a generous, rich style of Chardonnay with some peachy richness as well as tropical pineapple notes. This is all about generous fruit: rich and expressive with an easy melony richness on the palate. Generous and delicious, showing off the ripe fruit side of Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay. 93/100
Askerne Reserve Chardonnay 2022 Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
14% alcohol. An explosive nose of toast, peach, vanilla and ripe peachy fruit, with a hint of mineral struck match character too. Bold and full on the palate with peach and citrus, as well as toast and ripe tropical fruit notes. A rich but beautifully handled expression of Chardonnay with bold, sweet, ripe fruit and appealing oak influence. Very stylish. 94/100
Bilancia Kaikora Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
13% alcohol. A single-vineyard wine from central Hawke’s Bay, on argillite soils. This has a distinctive matchstick/mineral reductive note on the nose, which is really appealing, offering brightness and pure, zesty citrus fruit. The palate is lean and detailed with a mineral framing to the ripe but precise lemon, grapefruit and pear fruit. There might even be some pineapple tropicality here in the background. Such energy and focus to this wine: it’s quite brilliant. 96/100
Church Road Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2022 Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
13% alcohol. This is rich and lively with lovely vibrant pear, peach and pineapple fruit, showing good acidity and a touch of freshness from some dissolved carbon dioxide, that supports the lemony acid line. Very well integrated oak with some mineral notes adding framing to the ripe but balanced fruit. Such a broad palate of flavours, this is eager to please but has seriousness at the same time. 94/100
Craggy Range Les Beaux Cailloux Chardonnay 2022 Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
13% alcohol. This is really classy and polished. It’s bright with some citrus drive and then some pear and pineapple notes, with beautifully integrated oak that adds a bit of toast and mealiness. This is beautifully balanced, with ripe but restrained fruit and nothing out of place. Potential for development here. 95/100
Craggy Range Kidnappers Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
12.5% alcohol. Located in Te Awanga near the coast. This is bright and energetic with pear and green apple, as well as some citrus pith notes. Nice dynamic range with lemony brightness, good acidity, but also some mid-palate richness showing a touch of peachy fruit. Rounded finish. Give this time. 94/100
Elephant Hill Sea Chardonnay 2022 Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
13.5% alcohol. And intense, impactful Chardonnay with keen lemony acidity supporting bold pear and peach fruit. Has subtle notes of toast and bread, with some pithy grapefruit notes on the finish. Nice weight to this wine which has quite a palate weight. Unfurled, with serious potential for development. 95/100
Paritua Willow Chardonnay 2022 Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
13% alcohol. Powerful but expressive, with notes of pear, peach and even some pineapple, with hints of cherry and aniseed. Lovely balance and complexity here with fine spices and well integrated oak. Harmonious. 95/100
Smith & Sheth CRU Heretaunga Chardonnay 2022 Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
13% alcohol. This has concentration, refinement and richness. There’s a broad spectrum of ripe fruit, ranging from lemon, to pear, to peach, to pineapple, with some fine spicy oak in the background. It’s a rich, generous full style, but despite the rich mouthfeel the freshness remains. This is a classy example of Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay, showing seamless fruit and well integrated oak. Very stylish. 94/100
Squawking Magpie Counting Crows Chardonnay 2022 Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
13% alcohol. There’s some mealy richness to this wine which offers broad pear and peach fruit, with a fine spiciness. Nice acidity: tense but rich at the same time, showing a touch of pineapple richness as well as bright grapefruit and lime. The oak is really well integrated. Lovely stuff in a bold style. 94/100
Squawking Magpie Terraces & Gravels Chardonnay 2022 Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
14% alcohol. This is soft and smooth with lovely forward melon and pineapple fruit, as well as a hint of cabbage and some green notes in the background. There’s even some grapefruit here. So bold and fruit-driven with distinctive – and delicious – fruity flavours to the fore. An outlier, and a good one. 94/100
Tony Bish Skeetfield Chardonnay 2022 Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
13.5% alcohol. Bold, rich and seamless with finely spiced pear and peach fruit, showing depth and smoothness, with well integrated oak. There’s a concentration of flavour here: some toast and pineapple as well as the pear and peach fruit, with depth and intensity. Impressive stuff. 95/100