Awards & Reviews

Big, ripe, tropical fruit nose and a long, fat and complex tropical palate with obvious oak and clean acidity. At its peak now - so drink soon.

Winestate [Aus] Annual 2006

*** A vibrant pale yellow in colour. Nicely integrated oak intermingled with rockmelon and nectarine fruits; subtle malolactic notes add a creamy/buttery nuance that adds to the pleasure. A firm streak of acidity is apparent on the moderately persistent finish.

WineState (March/April 2003)

**** This typically full-bodied and richly flavoured Chardonnay is produced by Montana at the Church Road Winery in Hawke's Bay. Due to a crippling spring frost in the Bay, the 2001 vintage is a blend of Marlborough (56%) and Hawke's Bay grapes. Fermented and lees-aged for six months in French (90%) and American oak barriques (35% new), with no malolactic fermentation, it's an elegant wine, the Marlborough influence showing in its more citrusy (and less stone fruit) characters and fresh acidity. Full-bodied, with considerable complexity, it's best opened 2003+.

Michael Cooper's Buyer's Guide to New Zealand Wines, 2003

Q:****/V:**** I get toasted almonds on the nose, and that suits me fine. It's a nicely focused wine with great balance between fruit and oak, a smooth texture and a long finish. Nice one, Tony! Enjoy it with seafood lasagne, or something with equally outspoken flavours. Drink: now-3 years.

Vic Williams - The Penguin New Zealand Wine Guide 2003

**** ... an elegant wine, the Marlborough influence showing in its more citrusy (and less stone-fruit) characters and fresh acidity. Full-bodied, with considerable complexity, it's still very youthful; open 2003+.

WineState (July/Aug 2002)

58% Marlborough this year, balancing the seasonal Hawke's Bay element where frost reduced crop-availability. Oak fermented, a high drinkability factor makes this very appealing; serious for wine enthusiasts without letting down the need for a good-image wine with fish and chicken courses.

Peter Saunders - Food & Beverage Marketplace (April 2002)

From Hawke's Bay, hints of citrus with a lightly oaky, nutty undertone. It is elegant and nicely balanced, but I found it lacked the compelling "drink-me" factor.

Charmian Smith - Otago Daily Times (24 April 2002)

... peach and pineapple and light toasty oak aromas and flavours, similar to the [Reserve] but with less concentration and impact. The back label says keep for up to four years. That might be a touch ambitious.

Graeme Barrow - Bay of Plenty Times (16 April 2002)

****  Citrusy, crisp, slightly buttery blend of Marlborough and Hawke's Bay grapes with finely integrated oak and lots of style.

Michael Cooper - Sunday Star Times (14 April 2002)

Up until now this has been a Hawke's Bay wine, but a fierce frost killed off a lot of local crop, so this wine is 56 percent Marlborough fruit, with the balance from Hawke's Bay. Quite pale in colour and with a classy, restrained nose of ripe fruit and French oak. The palate is full and complex, with a nice round mouth feel. There is plenty way and it adds to both the flavour and the texture. All in all, a nice young wine which will probably get better with a little age. I'd like to try it again perhaps in another six months. Bit over $20 and good value. Probably age for at least three years.

Hugh Wood - Hamilton Press (3 April 2002)