2018 Cloudburst Chardonnay

Pale yellow-gold. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes fresh citrus, orchard and tropical fruits, iodine, buttered toast and pungent flowers, and a tarragon nuance builds with air. Shows superb concentration as well as energy, offering vibrant tangerine, Anjou pear, pineapple, sweet butter and anise flavors that tighten up slowly on the back half. Powerful yet graceful in style, displaying sharp definition and minerally thrust on an impressively persistent finish that features resonating floral and pear nectar flourishes.

Heavy winter rains ahead of dry conditions for budburst, flowering and fruit set – all leading to generous yields. Summer was absent of rain, with warm days and cool nights. The grapes were harvested between 16  February and 2  March. Bright and pale lemon in colour. Reductive on the nose with textbook struck-match aromas that are must-haves in modern Chardonnay. There is more underneath to support this – ripe peaches and buttery pears. The palate is fleshy and surprisingly creamy, with tarte Tatin and more peach. The spiciness on the palate complements the reduction of the nose, but the buttery, creamy texture pushes through and dominates the finish. (TP)

Cloudburst's 2018 Chardonnay was fermented and aged in 50% new French oak, but you'd hardly know it from tasting the wine. Gentle toast and crème brûlée aromas appear on the nose alongside intense pineapple and white peach notes, while the medium to full-bodied palate is plump and silky in feel, with a long, mouthwatering finish. Impeccably balanced, with barely noticeable oak, it can be drunk anytime over the next 5-6 years.