ISABEL ESTATE VINEYARD Aratoro Chardonnay, Marlborough Isabel Estate was established in Marlborough in 1980 and has some of the oldest vines in the region. Aratoro (meaning 'path of discovery') is Isabel Estate's top-tier range. This single-vineyard wine is crafted from some of the oldest vines on the Isabel Estate vineyard. The Chardonnay is crafted from naturally low yielding vines that provide fruit with great concentration and acidity. The resulting wine is powerful and intricate, displaying notes of gunsmoke, white peach, and nectarine, with hints of lemon and lime. The citrus note gives the wine length and vibrancy. Mineral, linear, lengthy and fine acidity carries the wine and gives this beautiful wine great age-ability.

HARTFORD WINES Hartford Court Sevens Bench Chardonnay, Carneros

DOMAINE LUCIEN LE MOINE 1er Cru Les Chalumaux , Puligny-Montrachet Lucien Le Moine is a unique négocianthaute couture is often how they are described. Husband and wife, Mounir and Rotem Saouma source small parcels of wine from many producers. Their contribution to the wine is in the elevage, esoteric regime which changes each vintage relying on Mounirs sensory talents forged in a Trappist monastery in Lebanon and honed in their vaulted cellars in the Cote dOr. Working with the best (Jupilles, FRA), fine-grained new oak, the Saoumas produce a staggering number of Grands and 1er Crus cuvees.

Rich, creamy and quite concentrated chardonnay with peach, hazelnut, bran biscuit and savoury, nutty yeast lees flavours. A seamless and satisfying wine that is deliciously approachable now but promises to age well. Alcohol: 13%. Closure: screwcap. Drink: 2019-2024. Rating: 95/100.