2014 Dry River Chardonnay

Community Tasting Notes (7) Median Score: 92 points

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  4/18/2024 - Ulaa Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Golden yellow, Balanced topical fruits, the honey is softer than the 15, more of a white honey. There is more acid here than the Dry River 2015 Chardonnay giving it a slightly fresher edge, but I wouldn't hold on to it much longer. Drink it now.
  Paired with Chinese at home on a summer afternoon in Sydney Australia. Slightly spicy, loved with the Dimsum and Cheeseburger springrolls.
  
  Dry River Chardonnay
  2014, Martinborough, New Zealand
  Chardonnay
  
  Appearance.
  Clarity : Clear
  Intensity : Medium
  
  Colour
  White : Gold
  
  Nose
  Condition : clean
  Intensity : Light
  Aroma Characteristics :
  Primary: Stone Fruit (Nectarine, Lychee), Tropical Fruit (Banana, Pineapple) Floral (Honeysuckle) Ripeness (Ripe fruit, even slightly over ripe)
  
  Secondary:
  Malolactic Conversion (Butter)
  
  Development : fully developed
  
  
  Palate
  Sweetness : Dry
  Acidity : Medium(-)
  Tannin : Light
  Alcohol : Medium
  Body : Medium(-)
  
  Flavour
  Intensity : Medium(+)
  Primary: Stone Fruit (Peach), Tropical Fruit (Pineapple, Banana, Passionfruit) Ripeness - Very
  Secondary: Malolactic Conversion (Cream)
  Tertiary: Honey
  
  Finish : Medium
  Notes
  I like a fully developed wine, this is right on the edge. There is more acid here than the Dry River 2015 Chardonnay giving it a slightly fresher edge, but I wouldn't hold on to it much longer. Drink it now.
  
  Quality Level : very good
  Readiness for drinking : drink now not suitable for aging
  
  Score
  outstanding 17-18.5

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  5/2/2022 - Darke Peak Likes this wine: 97 Points

  Bought 8 bottles 4 years ago. Just drank the 4th bottle. WOW! Amazing how much it has developed and opened up in the last 12 months, I have to wonder if the cork is causing uneven aging between bottles? This is ripe and ready to drink. Honey and apricot. Might plan to drink 2 bottles a year for the remaining 4.

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  5/31/2019 - kostaslonis wrote:

  Blind tasting in MW style (Lazaros house): The wine shows dense yellow color.
  The wine shows high intensity in the nose, rich, nutty, oaky and buttery, ripe citrus and stone fruit notes.
  The wine shows the same pattern in the palate, oak derived notes, nutty, buttery, medium body, medium to high acidity, medium to long finish
  (said kiwi Chardonnay)

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  2/11/2019 - Callum's Corkers Likes this wine: 95 Points

  £42.00 off-shelf retail at The NZ Cellars, London, that price includes a 20% discount for a promo.
  
  Expensive for a NZ chardonnay, but I've marked this 95 on potential because it isn't yet already mature and clearly has enough power and personality to get way better. 93 at the moment. 'Big' complex wine but fine texture with a sound structure, shedloads going on here, probably not really mature for another 4 yrs yet.
  
  C....straw
  N.....gorgeous and exciting, toasted seedy bread, oak, toasted nuts, peaches, good intensity, nectarines.
  
  T.....solid Med body, real power here, long intense flavours, classy. Swirling acidity. Huge cellaring potential. This is as good as any single site/vineyard Kumeu River I've had. Dry finish, at the moment more a Foodie style than an All Night Glugger. A touch too much wood? (At moment.) Some nice soil/earthy flavours. Pretty much a Burgundian style, for a NZ chardy.
  
  VFM?....expensive (blimey, who'd buy it in a restaurant if you were spendng your own money???) but probably worth it, one of best NZ chardonnay I've had.

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  2/7/2019 - finewinebuff57 wrote: 92 Points

  This is a very accomplished chardonnay, already delicious but I sense a long drinking window ahead. Right up there with the two chardonnays from Pyramid Valley in my view.

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