DOG POINT CHARDONNAY 2019

Selected for the Fine Wines of New Zealand List

Winery notes (2019 Vintage)
"A pure, bright and youthful citrus driven chardonnay with complex smokey, flint, toast and biscuit notes derived from extended barrel aging on full solids. The hallmarks of Dog Point chardonnay are ever present here with pure saline and crisp palate structure. This vintage will have the ability to age well. Perfect match with scallops, white fish, poultry and BBQ pork.

2/3 Mendoza, 1/3 B95 clones hand-picked from our home vineyard at 5 tonnes/ha (30hl/ha), from vines dating back to 1981. Fruit is whole bunch pressed and transferred directly to French oak barrels (10% new) and left to undergo indigenous primary and secondary malolactic fermentations for 18 months in barrel. Bottled without fining and with only minimal filtration."

5 Stars & 96/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, September 2021 (2019 Vintage)
"Seductive chardonnay with white peach, citrus, grapefruit, oyster-shell and subtle spicy oak underpinned by delicious acidity. Intense wine with a lengthy finish. A little bottle age would do it no harm."

5 Stars Michael Cooper (2019 Vintage)
"This classy wine is estate-grown and hand-harvested on the south side of the Wairau Valley, fermented and matured for 18 months in French oak barriques (10 per cent new in 2019), and given a full, softening malolactic fermentation. The 2019 vintage is bright, light yellow/green, with a fragrant bouquet. Full-bodied, it is still very fresh and youthful, with concentrated, ripe stonefruit flavours, hints of toast and butterscotch, lively acidity, and impressive vigour and length. Best drinking 2023+. Certified organic."

95/100 James Suckling (2019 Vintage)
"Smoke, hay, dried mango, preserved lemon and buttered toast on the nose. Full-bodied with sharp acidity and a phenolic texture. Tight, concentrated and long. Drink or hold."

94/100 Gary Walsh, The Wine Front, October 2021 (2019 Vintage)
"Intense sort of Chardonnay here, kind of like sticking your head out of a car window while driving at 110 km/h, which I’m sure is also the sort of thing that a dog would love too. Plenty of struck match, pink grapefruit, oatmeal and bran, BBQ chicken, guava and spice. And more, but that’ll do for now. Tight and tangy, but also bold and packed with flavour, biscuit oak, a mix of ripe lime and stone fruit, flint and funk, and a mouth-watering finish of excellent length and energy. Really very good."

Reviews for 2018 vintage below…

Rated Excellent & 94/100 Cameron Douglas MS, November 2020 (2018 Vintage)
"Alluring scents of ripe citrus and apple, peach, quince and a touch of golden kiwifruit followed by spices and mild toasty barrel layers, vanilla and raw sugar then a gun-flint soil complexity. On the palate – youthful and vibrant with layers of barrel spice and wood underpinning flavours of stone fruit and citrus reflecting the bouquet. Fine wood tannins, medium+ acidity, knocking on the door of full-bodied and a satin texture showcases both this wines deliciousness now, potential for cellaring and readiness for food. Well made, youthful and best cellared for a while longer with best drinking from late 2021 through 2029+."