UNPRECEDENTED PRICING ON SUPER PREMIUM AGED HAWKES BAY CHARDONNAY
Deals like this on premium aged reserve wines don't come along often, so when they do, our best advice is grab what the budget allows and thank yourself later for not missing out.
The Elephant Hill Reserves are a special barrel selection that sit between the Estate series and the super-premium Icons range – and are only released when the conditions are absolutely perfect. The 2018 vintage saw consistently warmer days, allowing for exceptionally high-quality fruit.
We are huge fans of Elephant Hill Chardonnays and the 2018 Reserve is up there with the very best. Powerful, but refined and sophisticated as all great wines are… The reviews below say it all!
Winery notes (2018 Vintage)
"This wine displays yellow stonefruit and citrus characters with a toasty oak palate. It is finely concentrated and has subtle mineral elements. The exceptional fruit purity, concentration and complexity are the hallmarks of our Elephant Hill Reserve Chardonnay. Beautiful to drink now or cellar to 2026.
The coastal Te Awanga vineyard has proven a special site for Chardonnay. Majority of Clone 15 and 95 from Te Awanga vineyard and small amount of fruit from our Triangle vineyard. Whole bunch pressed and fermented with indigenous yeast. The wine was aged in 25% new French oak for 12 months with some lees stirring, minimal malolactic fermentation."
Rated Outstanding & 95/100 Cameron Douglas MS, December 2022 (2018 Vintage)
"A beautifully presented wine with a bouquet of satin smooth peach and ripe grapefruit, aromas of stone and wet rocks, a saline quality fresh cashew nut oak scents with a light white smoke complexity. Textures of satin cream and ripe fruit are bound with warming alcohol all touching the palate simultaneously, flavours of yellow stone fruits and ripe citrus, vanilla and cashew nut cream. Tannins are fine adding mouthfeel, acidity for contrast and bite all leading to a plush, complex and lengthy finish. A youthful wine still with best drinking from 2023 through 2027."
5 Stars & 95/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, November 2022 (2018 Vintage)
"This is wonderfully complex and immensely appealing with golden peach, rockmelon, brioche, hazelnut and lemon peel aromas on the nose, leading to a concentrated palate that's succulent and plush. Beautifully layered with delectable flavours and rich texture, finishing superbly long and satisfying. At its best: now to 2028."
5 Stars Michael Cooper, March 2024 (2018 Vintage)
"Maturing gracefully, the 2018 vintage was estate-grown at Te Awanga, and fermented and lees-aged for 15 months in French oak barrels (26 per cent new). Bright, light lemon/green, it is fragrant and full-bodied, with generous, ripe stonefruit flavours, finely integrated oak, fresh acidity and a savoury, lingering finish. A vigorous, complex wine, likely to be long-lived, it should be at its best 2025+."
4 ½ Stars & Top 10 Cuisine Chardonnay Tasting 2022 (2018 Vintage)
"This is another wine that is showing its age beautifully and demonstrating a lean and reserved style of chardonnay. The balance is impressive with bright fruit, well-integrated oak, and taut acid all working in perfect gentle harmony on a fantastically textured palate. Fresh and delicious."
5 Stars & 18.5/20 (93) Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, November 2022 (2018 Vintage)
"Bright, medium yellow-gold, slightly lighter on the rim. The nose is full and appealing, filled the glass with ripe stonefruit, pineapple, yellow flowers, underlined spice and nutty elements. Full-bodied, aromas of ripe apricot and pineapple form a taut core, unfolding grapefruit, zesty spice, roasted almond and butterscotch. The fruit is ripe and generous with lively acid support; smooth and plump phenolics provide a polished flow. This elegant Chardonnay shows ripe fruit, coastal influenced lively acidity and well-portioned barrels complexity and age development. Match with roasted chicken and grouper over the next 5+ years. Fruit from Te Awanga, whole bunch pressed, barrel fermented to 13% alc, 26% new oak, aged on lees for 15 months."