Description
Established in 1896, Te Mata Estate remains family owned, producing internationally recognized wines exclusively from its Hawke’s Bay vineyards. The Estate’s ownership varied frequently until John and Wendy Buck acquired it in 1978. John and Wendy instigated a twenty-year development program, which commenced with the restoration of the original winery building and the replanting of all of the original vineyards, as well as the acquisition of new vineyard sites.
The range of temperature and soil types, allied with the rainfall band between 650-850mm, create conditions to produce high quality wines of a classic range akin to those of coastal, central and northern France. Te Mata wines are similar in weight and balance but with unique lifted floral and fruit aromas.
Te Mata winery has been ranked ‘Top Winery in New Zealand’ evidenced by the consistent quality of the Coleraine and Awatea Cabernet Merlot wines, the Bull Nose Syrah and the Elston Chardonnay.
Produced since 1984, Elston is an outstanding New Zealand chardonnay, grown at Te Mata Estates oldest vineyards on the hillsides above the winery. The Havelock Hills Vineyards are renowned for producing wines with great balance, power and elegance. It is rich and complex with flavours of fresh pineapple, white peach and nougat.
About this wine from the Winery: “Elston is named for Elston Hall in Nottinghamshire, the ancestral home of Charles Darwin’s family. Darwin’s ‘theory of natural selection’ forms the basis of modern evolutionary theory, the foundation of biology. The wyvern symbol of Elston Hall appears on the label.
“Glowing a brilliant lemon-gold in the glass, Elston Chardonay ’22 overflows with ripe citrus, fresh brioche, and grilled hazelnuts. On the palate an impressive intensity of ripe nectarine and grilled lemon builds upon soft creamy nougat notes, adding a vibrant acidity, balance and focus. With exceptional length, freshness, purity, and a complex interplay of fruit and savoury notes, Elston Chardonnay ’22 is expressive and moreish – a remarkable embodiment of its terroir that exemplifies the quintessential qualities of this classic Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay.
“The superb quality of the 2022 vintage was immediately apparent in the fully ripe grapes that were hand-harvested from their separate, individual plots within Te Mata Estate’s vineyards between 20 February and 10 March 2022.
“Each parcel was gently whole-cluster pressed, cold settled and racked to new and seasoned French oak barrels for fermentation. The resulting wines remained in contact with their yeast lees, with a number going through malolactic fermentation. The finest lots were selected for further maturation, spending a total of 11 months in barrel.”
Wow, fine chardonnay of finesse and class here!
5 Stars, Michael Cooper “One of New Zealand’s most illustrious Chardonnays, Elston is a stylish, intense, slowly evolving wine .. the 2022 vintage is highly fragrant, mouthfilling and savoury. Still youthful, it is a refined, vigorous wine, with deep, vibrant, stonefruit flavours, gently seasoned with toasty oak, and a rich, finely poised finish. Best drinking 2026+.”
97 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review “Light-mid yellow colour; subtle nutty/nougat and wheat-meal complexities, the palate tremendously intense, bright, tensioned and focused, with terrific balance and persistence. The subtle complexities really creep up on you. Great concentration and crystalline focus. It is superb now and will richly reward cellaring.“
5 Stars & 96/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, January 2024 (2022 Vintage) “A wonderfully styled chardonnay offering elegant opulence with graceful complexity. The inviting bouquet shows ripe peach, rockmelon, lemon pith, cedar and brioche nuances, followed by a richly textured palate that’s succulent and focused. Brilliantly structured by fine acidity, finishing expansive and impressively long. At its best: 2025 to 2037.”
95 points, James Suckling “This is really energetic with an excellent fruit and acid balance that gives the wine a tangy finish that lasts for minutes. Medium to full body. Lovely depth with sliced ripe green apple flavors and hints of hot stone. Hints of bread dough and steel gives this complexity. Flavorful finish.”
RRP $66 Our Special Price $49.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine.
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