Tony Bish ’Skeetfield’ Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2017

24-Sep-2018

The ‘Skeetfield’ Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay from Tony Bish is his premium bottling, designed to showcase the quality and individuality of the ‘Skeetfield’ vineyard, an old, dry-farmed, Mendoza clone planted site in the Ohiti district, owned by friend Denis Gunn. The vineyard is named after father Brick Gunn, a champion New Zealand skeet shooter. Tony takes the approach that the terroir of the vineyard should be the dominant feature of his wines, rather than obvious oak or sulphide characters per se. For Tony, these factors are important, but it’s a matter of balance! 2017 was a more challenging year than most, but Tony has made a success of it with some beautifully elegant, balanced and subtle Chardonnays, despite to cooler growing season and rain. Tony notes that even in such a vintage, the ‘Skeetfield’ vineyard performed very well. Here, I review the 2017 Tony Bish ‘Skeetfield’ Chardonnay. www.tonybishwines.co.nz

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

Tony Bish ’Skeetfield’ Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2017
Chardonnay from New Zealand - Hawke's Bay
Review Date : 23-Sep-2018
☆☆☆☆☆
Bright, light golden-yellow colour with some depth, lighter on the rim. The nose is initially restrained with softly concentrated and subtly layered aromas of yellow stonefruits and citrus fruit harmoniously melded with nutty oak and mealy detail, unfolding suggestions of minerals and smoke. Medium-full bodied, the palate has a rich and concentrated core of yellow stonefruits and citrus fruit entwined with some creamy barrel-ferment and nutty oak. This has plenty of detail with mealy and toasty nuances. The flavours grow in richness to fill the mouth, but this is balanced by refreshing lacy acidity. There is underlying drive and power that carries the wine with positive linearity to a rich and concentrated, sustained finish. Soft and harmonious on the nose, this is a rich, concentrated, layered and detailed Chardonnay with stonefruits, nutty oak, mealy detail and smoke on a fresh, but powerfully driven palate. ,atch with roasted and grilled seafood poultry and pork over the next 4+ years. Mendoza clone fruit from the ‘Skeetfield’ vineyard, fully indigenous yeast barrel-fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 12 months in 60% new Taransaud oak barriques. 19.0-/20 Sep 2018 RRP $59.95

Tony Bish ’Skeetfield’ Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2017

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

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