2023 Te Mata Elston Chardonnay

Te Mata’s Elston Chardonnay has been a gold standard in Hawke’s Bay for decades, and the 2023 vintage is another stunner. Sourced from the estate’s hillside vineyards, this is a Chardonnay that knows exactly what it’s doing - layered, complex, and perfectly judged.

Whole-cluster pressed and wild-fermented in French oak, with a touch of malolactic fermentation and 11 months on lees, this wine has all the hallmarks of top-flight Chardonnay. But it’s never about excess - Te Mata nails that balance between richness and drive.

It’s got the goods: white peach, citrus, and toasted hazelnut, with a line of flinty minerality that keeps it tight. The palate is pure class - creamy yet focused, rolling through lemon curd, nectarine, and nutmeg, finishing long and fresh with a lick of saline acidity.

This is what Hawke’s Bay does best. Drink now or stash it away for the next 6–8 years - it’ll only get better.

97 points
"Wow. The aromas are breathtaking with lemon rind, lemon tree, hints of sandalwood, minerals and crushed stones. The palate shows a stunning interplay of sliced apples, green mangoes, lemongrass, honeysuckle, white cedar and intense lemons. Some flint and wet stones at the end and a briny aftertaste. 100% barrel-fermented. Aged 11 months in barrel. Drink now or hold."
- James Suckling