Wine: Chardonnay charmers

A varietal to savour.

Great chardonnay can come from all corners of our fair country and these three are single and ready for love...

Chard Farm Judge & Jury Central Otago Chardonnay 2015 $39

Most people carefully pick their way along the vertigo-inducing driveway leading to Chard Farm, praying for a punch-in-the-face pinot noir to calm their nerves. Whereas I think the perilous journey is more than well-rewarded with this outstanding chardonnay instead. Grown on their Lowburn vineyard, the fruit produces a solid mineral and spice backbone to stitch grapefruit, roast nectarine, cashew and toast notes together. Only very small amounts were made.

Sip with: classic crab cakes.

Matahiwi Estate Wairarapa Chardonnay 2016 $23

I really love the bang and citrus tang of this wine. With nectarine and grapefruity intensity on the nose, and a squeak of smoke on the finish. Fresh, taut and citrusy, it's exactly my kind of chardonnay.

Sip with: a bowl of chilled leek and potato soup.
matahiwi.co.nz

Framingham Marlborough Chardonnay 2015 $25

For the longest time I was such a vehement fan of Framingham's rieslings that I forgot they were brilliant at producing pretty much every other variety under the sun too. Take this chardonnay for example. Gorgeous grapefruit, pineapple and peach layers buoy a backbone of creamy, brulee, cashew and panforte characters on the palate. This is ripe, ready-for-action chardonnay.

Sip with: oozing triple-cream brie.

Yvonne Lorkin is co-founder and chief tasting officer of winefriend.co.nz and a Wine Writers of NZ member.