Babich Irongate Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2018

Babich Irongate Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2018Barrel fermented, oaked Lemon curd White stone fruit Sweet pastry "Babichs flagship Chardonnay. A stylish wine, Irongate was traditionally markedly leaner and tighter than other top Hawkes Bay Chardonnays, while performing well in the cellar, but the latest releases have more drink young appeal. It is based on hand picked fruit from the shingly Irongate Vineyard in Gimblett Road, fully barrel fermented (about 20 per cent new), and lees matured for up

• Barrel-fermented, oaked
• Lemon curd
• White stone fruit
• Sweet pastry

"Babich’s flagship Chardonnay. A stylish wine, Irongate was traditionally markedly leaner and tighter than other top Hawke’s Bay Chardonnays, while performing well in the cellar, but the latest releases have more drink-young appeal. It is based on hand-picked fruit from the shingly Irongate Vineyard in Gimblett Road, fully barrel-fermented (about 20 per cent new), and lees-matured for up to 10 months. Fragrant and finely textured, the 2018 vintage (5*) is a weighty wine, with deep peach and grapefruit flavours, mealy notes adding complexity and a seamless, lingering finish. Fresh, youthful and finely poised, it’s already enjoyable, but likely to be at its best 2022+" Michael Cooper

Yellow in the glass with a hint of gold in the sunlight. The nose shows lemon curd and stone fruits with apple and cashew. A rich and driving entry with lemon and peach on display early joined by notes of sweet pastry, white stone fruits and grapefruit. Bright focus, lovely poise and a very lingering finish.

They have been producing Irongate Chardonnay since 1985 and it has evolved into this richly flavoured, balanced and elegant wine. The vines from this now-famous Gimblett Gravels ‘Irongate’ vineyard are selected at pruning and crop levels are closely monitored to ensure excellent flavour concentration in the grapes.

Food Pairing: Irongate Chardonnay is an intense, richly flavoured wine and is an ideal match for rich seafood and white meat dishes. Try it with char-grilled squid and lemon butter sauce, or barbecued chicken.