ABEL TASMAN CHARDONNAY 2020

A bit of history. Abel is the project of Mark and Sophie McGill who produce Cider and Chardonnay from their land in the Upper Moutere. It has helped that they have some excellent guidance from Mark's Dad, who is a viticulturist, and Sophie's Dad who is none other than James Healy (Cloudy Bay and Dog Point). Influences that have helped steer the quality and sense of place. The result is a Chardonnay that is absolutely delicious!   

Winery notes (2020 Vintage)
"We make our Chardonnay how we like to drink it. We love Chardonnay with energy. It's got to be vibrant, with a real core of fruit which our Moutere clay soils deliver. Think citrus-lead fruit like grapefruit and lemonade lemons, plus a little green nectarine. This provides freshness and purity from the get-go, and we retain this freshness through fermentation and maturation in large French oak cuves as opposed to small oak barrels. Lifted citrus fruit, savoury richness, fresh acidity, highly textured, bone dry.

Moutere clay soils. 23 year old vines. The vineyard is planted on rolling hills located on an elevated peninsula close to the Tasman sea. The region is known for high sunshine hours and the proximity to the sea provides a cooling maritime influence. Gently whole bunch pressed to 3000 and 5000L French Oak cuves. Natural ferment. Natural MLF. 18 months maturation in cuves. Light filtration prior to bottling."

Metro Top 50 Wines of 2023 (2020 Vintage)
"This is a focused, fruit-forward, fresh chardonnay with apple, floral, peach, lemon — even graphite — notes. It’s sometimes tricky to remember this is the variety that people associate with toasty oak and buttery lemons, especially if you’re used to tasting fuller, more oaky and buttery examples of the variety. The panel hopes that more chardonnays will be made like this — minimal oak and in more of a fruit-driven style, making a wine that’s fresh, with driving acidity, textured and balanced. It’s hard to keep the winemaker out of the equation when it comes to chardonnay — even this is a full-solids (made without settling), wild fermentation — but it is nice to see other styles of a wine too easily pigeonholed on our shores."

94/100 David Walker Bell, WineFolio.co.nz, September 2023 (2020 Vintage)
"A vibrant lemon-green in the glass. A note of smoky struck-match minerality sits underneath a perfume of nectarine, lime curd, golden apple, quince and mandarin. Lovely crisp acidity greets the palate with a zesty drive. In parallel with that plush fruit it gives mouth-watering line with energy and succulence. Fruit-driven but with a layer of crushed shell minerality, and a polished, creamy texture. The winemaking here is light and well-judged – the oak restrained and the balance the key. Very fine."

93+/100 Thomas Parker MW, February 2023 (2020 Vintage)
"The 2020 Tasman Chardonnay builds on the delicious 2019 vintage. Bright lemon colour in the glass. Very vibrant, with a flinty, lightly smoky nose of pure lime and tangerine fruit. The palate has great energy, a line of acid cutting through the bright, ripe fruit at the core. Layers of lemon, lime and tangerine come through. On the mid palate a creamy, succulent tone comes through, building breadth to the finish. This is moreish and approachable now, with salivating citrus and flinty tones greatly appealing and deftly judged. Long and fine, with youthful verve and cream balanced finely to the finish."

93/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, July 2022 (2020 Vintage)
"Fine-boned, taut chardonnay with oyster shell/mineral, citrus/grapefruit and subtle spicy oak flavours supported by deliciously mouth-watering acidity which gives a crisp, dry finish without being too austere. Clearly made with a light touch in a good vintage."

4 ½ Stars Michael Cooper (2020 Vintage)
"From mature (23 year-old) vines in the upper Moutere Valley, the distinctive 2020 vintage was fermented and aged for 18 months in large French oak cuves, rather than small barrels. Light lemon/green, it has fresh, vibrant, searching flavours, citrusy and slightly appley, with a restrained oak influence and racy acidity. A distinctive, energetic, Chablis-like wine, it's well worth discovering."