2008 Esk Valley Hawke's Bay Chardonnay

It has been popular for a while now to decry chardonnay in favour of more fashionable whites but I am at a loss as to why. Perhaps it is one of those rules made by the sort of people responsible for making puffball skirts and legwarmers fashionable; I really have no idea.

Anyway, I am always pleased to have a glass or two of the stuff, especially if it is both delicious and shows a bit of character. So the 2008 Esk Valley Hawke's Bay Chardonnay was very welcome indeed of an evening. Smells good: lots of appropriate fruit accessorised by nutty hints and some light and toasty oak and follows with a rich and generous palate with just the right amount of acid and oak to give structure. This was a supremely satisfying wine which continues to open up well in the glass, with more of those tasty nutty/mealy notes coming through, suggesting it will look pretty sharp for a few years yet to come. Really, you have to hand it to Esk Valley, they continue to deliver a wide range of excellent wines across the board yet don't seem to show any signs of corporate cookie-cutterness. Long may that continue.

(And for the record, I don't actually mind the new label per se; it is quite smart and does stand out on the shelf better than its predecessor, though I have to admit it doesn't really seem to gel with the image/ethos of Esk Valley. Looks a bit like something that should instead adorn cheaper/less serious wine. Still, with all the chuntering going on about the label, Esk can at least console themselves as being in good company: Mouton's Lucien Freud label hasn't exactly met with unanimous favour either.)

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