Church Road Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2012 – $$

Yet another Chardonnay (blame it on the good weather!), and one of my favourite wines. I would drink more of it, but have to wait until it is offered for $15, down from the usual $25. More quality, texture, weight and mouthfeel than my usual $12 trolley-fillers – lower cropping rates and more new oak perhaps?

This is mealy and nutty on the nose, pale yellow, and with some weight and mineral/white pepper behind the ripe white stonefruit flavours, A good food wine, not so great with the roast chicken tonight – better with scallops I think.

I would drink this all the time, if I could, until the weather closes in…