Old Vines Reserve Chardonnay 2022

Riverby Estate’s Chardonnay block was planted in 1989, making it one of the oldest Chardonnay blocks in Marlborough, and one of the few still on its own roots. It is also one of the few exclusively planted with the Mendoza clone of Chardonnay: Mendoza having long been recognised as the premium New Zealand chardonnay clone.

2022 was an interesting Marlborough vintage with better yields than the previous vintage and generally good weather throughout the season, although things did cool down for the two weeks prior to harvest. Fortunately, the grapes were already sufficiently ripe and had attained an impressive flavour profile before the late season slow down. The grapes were harvested in good condition on 27 March 2022.

After careful handling the wine was 100% fermented and aged in French oak. We assessed all our barrels of Chardonnay and selected only the very best barrels for this Reserve Chardonnay. It spent almost 12 months in oak, 40% new, and underwent lees stirring to produce our desired mealy characters. The wine underwent a full malolactic fermentation. It was bottled on 16 March 2023.

Deep lemon, mid straw in colour, it has a captivating nose displaying ripe stone fruits, citrus, tangerine and hazelnuts, with an under-lying vanilla, brioche character and spicy oak notes. On the palate it is clean, elegant and refined with a mouth-coating richness and bright acidity. There is the classical Mendoza character of golden queen peach as well as lemon, grapefruit and tangerine citrus notes. This is a textural, complex, full-bodied wine with rich, creamy, mealy hints. Perfectly poised with youthful grip and a lingering delicate finish.

Technical notes

Alcohol: 13.2%   Acidity: 6.2   PH: 3.55   Residual Sugar: 0.1   

Review

Complex and enticing, the wine shows golden peach, mango, citrus peel, vanillin oak and brioche characters on the nose. The concentrated palate delivers terrific weight and plush mouthfeel, wonderfully complemented by rich texture and beautifully pitched acidity. Splendidly composed and harmonious with a persistent, expansive finish. At its best: now to 2030

***** 94/100

                                                                                                  Sam Kim. Wine Orbit. Nov 2023

A fabulous, moreish wine from a 30-year-old-plus vineyard. It is planted with the Mendoza clone of Chardonnay, famed for its 'hen and chick' tendency of uneven grape sizes, which makes such interesting wines. It was matured in French oak. The nose fuses almond and even walnutty, cappuccino depth with an exotic mango fruitiness. Theres a hint of flint too. The palate displays a similar high-wire balancing act, with real Seville orange and juicy apple freshness, more tropical tones, and just enough creamy, nutty, coffeeish depth of oak. That flinty and smoky touch adds a lovely extra dimension. Fabulous balance and length.

93/100

                                                                              Tom Cannavan. Wine-pages.com March 2024

Classy, perfumed oak leads, bran biscuit, caraway seed perhaps, tropical fruits, clotted cream. A fat & rich nose yet the palate takes a cooler path, nectarine flesh joins tropical fruits, biscuity/nutty notes with a rapier thrust of acidity keeping this vibrant. The nose swells, the palate fruit sweet yet tangy, flavours hang in the mouth. Youthful, would like to see this in the future.

Excellent.    

Mark Henderson. ODT February 2024