Escarpment Chardonnay Martinborough 2011 – $$

L and I stayed the night at the Martinborough Hotel to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. We didn’t get there until mid-afternoon, but managed to fit in a cheeky 50km ride out towards Lake Ferry and back via Kahutara Rd before dinner at Pinnochio Restaurant just off the main square. Very nice it was as well. They ran out of the dessert that L was keen on, so we shared a dessert and sticky back at the hotel.

This wine I chose as an aperitif before dinner…

Pale straw. 13.5%

Refined bouquet. Elegant. Some mealy aromas. Citrus dominant.

Lean & austere, somewhat sharp with citrus & minerals. Crisp, fresh and short. No where near as warm and full as the 2012 we drank a month ago…

Not destined to be a favourite, and somewhat fragile, as the flavours did not survive the trip back into town the next day.

84 points