Church Road Grand Reserve Chardonnay

Formerly known as Church Road’s Reserve range they’ve given the wines a slick, stealth like black label and slapped the word “Grand” in the name, now known as Church Road Grand Reserve Chardonnay. It sits above the Church Road McDonald Series and below their iconic (and expensive!) Church Road TOM Chardonnay.

So that’s the marketing job done, what about the wine? Are they actually Grand? Are they what! These are sheer world class wines, up there with the best you’ll find in Hawke’s Bay. That’s why you’ll only find Church Road wines under this label released in exceptional vintage. Made from low-cropping vineyard blocks (to ensure more concentrated, ripe flavours), hand-harvested and produced using small batch, traditional techniques. Entirely hand harvested, whole bunch pressed with wild yeast and left to age for 11 months in French oak.

This label has been something of a magnet for the Golds over the years. The previous ’18 vintage won 7 Trophies and 7 Gold medals – the latest ’19 vintage is Double Gold already again!

A powerful, full-bodied Chardonnay that will make a stunning food match to seafood or white meats in a creamy sauce. Sure to improve over the next five or six years too.