TONY BISH FAT & SASSY CHARDONNAY 2019

Tony Bish is one of Hawkes' Bay's most respected winemakers (especially with Chardonnay) and this is a very good reflection of those skills with his own label. The wine shows immediate impact on the palate, with plenty of fruit-forward richness, and then carries through onto the finish. It is the kind of wine that sneaks up on you with its power.

Winery notes (2019 Vintage)
"This Chardonnay has a full, broad nose of refreshing and bright aromas of ripe yellow stone fruits and citrus fruits along with an edge of creamy and nutty barrel-ferment and spicy oak notes, subtle lemon-curd and buttery MLF notes. The palate has flavours of citrus fruits melded with creamy barrel-ferment and nutty, spicy oak.

The mouthfeel is enriched by integrated layers of lemon-curd and buttery MLF nuances. The palate has an underlying freshness with acid poise, and the wine flows along a fine-textured line with creamy nutty notes leading to a sustained finish with toasty oak."

5 Stars & 93/100 Wine Orbit, Sam Kim, February 2020 (2019 Vintage)
"Gorgeously fruited and immediately appealing, the inviting bouquet shows golden peach, mango, lemon zest, hazelnut and nougat characters with subtle butterscotch complexity. The palate delivers terrific fruit intensity and persistency, while remaining balanced and harmonious with creamy mouthfeel and refreshing acidity. It’s crowd-pleasing and highly enjoyable. At its best: now to 2023."

4 Stars Michael Cooper (2019 Vintage)
"‘All curves and lusciousness with exceptional sass’, the 2019 vintage was made with use of barrel fermentation and a softening malolactic fermentation. Bright, light yellow/green, it is a generous, upfront style, fruity and creamy-textured, with mouthfilling body and ripe, peachy flavours, very smooth and harmonious. Drink young."