Tony Bish Skeetfield Chardonnay Hawke's Bay 2022

Wine Orbit

This is seductive and enticing on the nose showing apricot, rock melon, nougat, roasted hazelnut and oatmeal characters, leading to a superbly weighted palate displaying outstanding concentration and depth. Seamless and flowing, the wine offers richness as well as refinement, finishing impressively long and creamy. Flatteringly classy and hugely appealing.

Candice Chow

Bright, even, pale straw yellow. It has an elegant bouquet growing in volume, with aromas of roasted hazelnut, almond, delicate spice, unfolding floral hints, lemon curd, pear and stonefruit. Full-bodied, aromas of lemon curd, spiced pear, peach and floral graze the palate, enveloping integrated roasted hazelnut, almond and spice, enriching the wine with layers and elegance. Seamless acidity carries silky phenolics and spice to linearity. A masterful Chardonnay with refined texture and acidity, pure fruit and a lasting finish. Match with blue cod beurre blanc and king prawns over the next 8 years. 19.5-/20 pts 97 pts

Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier

Top Wines Tasted 2023 | A complex and appealing bouquet of white fleshed fruits and gun flint, apple and new barrel, layers of fine lees suggesting chalk and fresh unroasted nut. Equally complex and delicious on the palate with a crisp and finely textured mouthfeel, acidity is on point carrying a fine lees and saline texture, flavours of white fleshed stone fruits and citrus are persistent adding weight and finesse, complexity comes from the synergies and purity of fruit, spice and nut. Such a well-made wine reflecting its vineyard and expert wine making. With a lengthy finish this wine will reward those who invest and cellar.

Bob Campbell

Impressive chardonnay with concentration, elegance, purity and subtle power. Flavours include savoury/bran biscuit, oyster shell, grapefruit, spicy French oak, ginger and pepper. Nicely balanced chardonnay with an impressive lingering finish.

wine-pages.com

(2024) Old vine and dry-farmed, the Chardonnay was whole bunch pressed and 100% barrel fermented and matured, with 60% new Taransaud French oak. Fermentation was with wild yeasts and regular batonnage has produced a wine that straddles flinty complexity and a juicy peach and grapefruit zestiness. There's a coolness of apple and lemon, but also a burgeoning sense of more exotic richness. Supple and fluid on the tongue, the lightly slippery texture carries plenty of fruit, but that little wisp of gunflint and the nutty creaminess of the barrels completes a compelling picture.

International Wine Challenge

Red apple, pear and hints of nutty oak. Firm and refreshing structure leading to a long finish.

Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy

“This is very appealing. A touch of smoky reduction adds charm as there is plenty of ripe fruit underlying. Precise and poised with a thread of succulent acidity running through the palate.”

Jamie Goode

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.

Inside Burgundy

This is very appealing. A touch of smoky reduction adds charm as there is plenty of ripe fruit underlying. Precise and poised with a thread of succulent acidity running through the palate.

Der Feinschmecker

“The most exciting, original, and best wines tasted in 2024: New Zealand is a small but passionate wine nation. In Hawke’s Bay, Chardonnay thrives particularly well: smoky and vanilla-like with notes of apricot and pineapple in the background, soft and elegant on the palate, like cashmere. This wine would be an excellent match for lobster.”

Michael Cooper

The classy, single-vineyard 2022 vintage was hand-picked from mature vines at Ohiti, and fermented and matured for a year in French oak barriques. Bright, light lemon/green, it has a fragrant, complex, youthful bouquet. Mouthfilling and savoury, it is a vigorous, finely structured wine, with concentrated, yet delicate, peachy, slightly citrusy and biscuity flavours, oak-derived complexity, fresh acidity and a lengthy finish.

Matthew Jukes

The first two words I wrote in my notes were Pouilly-Fuissé. This is because this wine shows warmth and generosity without looking too fat. Textural and pliable but also creamy and clean, this is a lovely wine with flamboyant intentions, but it stays on the right side of the line!

Raymond Chan

20/20 pts (100 pts) I could not fault it. It was an exciting moment when I realised... this is my first 20/20 point wine! Brilliant, bright, moderate yellow-gold, slightly lighter on the rim. The nose is voluminous and refined, an elegant bouquet of lemon rind, peach and apricot, entwine with toasty barrels and spice, and custard tarts. Medium-full bodied, calm and integrated flavours of crunchy lemon sherbet, lemon rind, and stonefruit interweave barrel spices, toasted hazelnuts, along with baked custard tarts. The flavours are well-proportioned and refined, multi-layered with punches. The smooth and seamless palate flows with chalky textured mineral, with the perfect amount of acidity and great energy, reminded me of Chassagne Montrachet's fine drops. This is a harmonious, elegant Chardonnay with all the trimmings in perfect proportions. Match with pan-seared foie gras and grilled langoustine over the next 8-10 years. Dry-farmed Mendoza clone handpicked, whole bunch pressed. 100% barrel-fermented to 13.5% alc, 60% new Taransaud French oak. 100% MLF, battonage, on lees for 12 months.