Clearview Estate Te Awanga Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2012 – $$

L brought this bottle over to mine to share with a late dinner, after we had both done a couple of hill repeats of Mt Vic on our road bikes. We felt very virtuous for it. As L put it, it was real nice to be able to exercise like grownups in the evening rather than frantically trying to fit it in before the school-run or work.

I don’t think I’ve tried a Clearview Estate wine before. The property is near CapeKidnappers in HawkesBay. Been there since ’89. From their website they appear to make an example of pretty much everything in the way of NZ wine varieties.

This is their bottom tier Chard – the ‘approachable, easy-drinking’ one. What does that phrase really mean?

Pale straw in the glass. 13%. Aromatic nose of Packham pears. Loads of ripe fruit in the glass, medium-weight, soft mouth-feel, simple. We saw subtle oak, light citrus tang and a touch of creaminess from 50% malolactic fermentation. 3