Astrolabe Marlborough Chardonnay 2024

Astrolabe Marlborough Chardonnay is an elegant, textural Chardonnay with ripe melon, dried stone fruit and peach layered with vanilla, butter and gently toasted oak. The palate has pleasing weight and creaminess, balanced by bright acidity and a fine mineral line that carries through the long, dry finish. Hand-picked fruit from three Marlborough sub-regions brings both depth and freshness, while wild barrel fermentation and extended lees ageing add savoury complexity. It is drinking well now but has the structure to develop further in bottle. Serve it with roast chicken, creamy mushroom dishes or miso-glazed fish.

What the winery says:

The 2024 Chardonnay was sourced from the Awatere Valley, Wairau Valley and Southern Valleys, with fruit grown by the van Asch, Waghorn and Johns families. The grapes were hand-picked between 18 and 27 March and whole-bunch pressed, with only the free-run juice retained. Fermentation took place in French oak puncheons using selected and wild yeasts. Frequent bâtonnage, full malolactic fermentation and 10 months of barrel maturation added texture and complexity. The wine was bottled unfined and contains 13.5% alcohol and less than 1 gram per litre of residual sugar. It is vegan and certified under Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand.

What the experts say:

Shanteh Wale, Halliday Wine Companion, 93/100 (2024 Vintage)
“Held in suspense by fine acidity and a lace of grape skin.”

James Suckling, 92/100 (2024 Vintage)
“Fruity and rounded, showing peaches, cooked lemons and toasted nuts.”

Cameron Douglas MS, 92/100 & Premium (2024 Vintage)
“Nice weight and creaminess with a core of fruit flavours that mirror the bouquet.”