Elephant Hill Reserve Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2019

Elephant Hill Reserve Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2019"Immensely complex and enticing, the bouquet shows golden peach, mango, vanilla and toasted almond characters with a hint of brioche. It's concentrated and wonderfully weighted on the palate, delivering outstanding depth and persistency. Wonderfully structured by beautifully infused acidity, finishing persistent and satisfying. At its best: now to 2030" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Aug 2024 "An excellent and very enticing bouquet of white fleshed orchard

"Immensely complex and enticing, the bouquet shows golden peach, mango, vanilla and toasted almond characters with a hint of brioche. It's concentrated and wonderfully weighted on the palate, delivering outstanding depth and persistency. Wonderfully structured by beautifully infused acidity, finishing persistent and satisfying. At its best: now to 2030" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Aug 2024

"An excellent and very enticing bouquet of white fleshed orchard fruits, lemon and peach. Layers of fine lees and oak mingle with a gravel and dark clay soil layers adding complexity and power. Dry, full-bodied and intense with flavours and textures from fine tannins and medium+ acidity framing the core flavours of baking spice and citrus then peaches and baked apple qualities. The lees and acidity along with tannins and core varietal qualities deliver a wine with length and complexity. Well made with best drinking from 2024 through 2030" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Aug 2024

"This wine captivates from the first pour, with pronounced aromas leaping from the glass - smoky, creamy peaches, vanilla wisps, and a touch of ginflint, all exuding sophistication. Ripe stone fruit layers with savoury, nutty spice on a lush, supple, creamy palate. A vibrant acid line provides balance while the finish is pure and polished, with a bright lemon-zest lift. Irresistbly refined, it's a wine you can't help but fall for. Enjoy now or cellar through 2030" The Wine Writer

"Bright, even, pale yellow gold with depth. The nose is gentle and precise, with aromas of yellow stonefruit, melon, cashew butter and citrus peels. Full-bodied, aromas of peach and nectarine melded with lemon zest, cashew butter, blossom and a suggestion of melon. Fine-textured phenolics flow smoothly with creamy attributes and acid precision, leaving a silky textured mouthfeel. This 5-year-old Chardonnay is elegantly expressed, with a harmonious integration of enlivening acidity and concentrated fruit elevated by toasty oak details and development" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, Sep 2024

Finely perfumed with ripe apple and blossom scents, and light oak spice character. A well poised palate of white peach and summer stone fruits with a lemony, fresh citrus tension, and an overlay of gently oak and nut character.

Elephant Hill produces handcrafted, small batch, artisanal wines from a blend of up to three sustainably farmed Hawke's Bay vineyards that each contributes a distinctive elemental character: SEA, EARTH & STONE. The RESERVE range showcases classic Hawke's Bay varieties that have spent extended time in barrel and bottlebefore release, offering ready aged wines for immediate enjoyment.

An incredible vintage for Hawke's Bay, one of the great years. Overalls, the season was very warm with a total heat summation (1425 Growing Degree Days) well above the Long-Term Average. The key ripening months of January and February were warm and dry. This combined with low crop yields, good flavour and careful selection allowed us to harvest fruit in condition in the 2nd week of March.

100% handpicked Chardonnay, whole bunch pressed and all naturally fermented in French oak barrels (28% new). Aged 12 months in barrel then a further 7 months in tank on light lees before bottling.