Te Mata Estate Elston Chardonnay

Te Mata Estate Elston Chardonnay is hailed as one of New Zealand’s greatest Chardonnays. Heck, we wouldn’t wouldn’t disagree. This is a stunner every year and one we look forward to emptying a few bottles of upon release every vintage!

The 2024 is here, the 40th release of this famous label, and it’s another one to get excited about. This is the jewel in the crown for Chardonnay at Te Mata so they put their best foot forward on it every time you can be sure of that. In fact the Te Mata crew were very excited about this latest release – “The superb quality of the 2024 vintage was immediately apparent.”

Using fruit from Te Mata’s Havelock Hills vineyard and spent 11 months in oak of which 33% was expensive new oak. According to the Te Mata crew you can expect “Aromas of crème brûlée, toasted sourdough, and vanilla intertwine with vibrant notes of grapefruit and ripe yellow nectarine. Subtle layers of oyster shell, hazelnut, and flintiness add further complexity and intrigue.”

The reviews are in…and boy are they impressive….

97/100 (James Suckling)
“Focused and textured, this is a beautiful follow-up after the terrific 2023. A powerful chardonnay that highlights the quality of the fruit. 100% barrel fermented and aged. Best value chardonnay in the World.”

97/100 (Sam Kim)
“The wine combines generosity, complexity, and refinement. The elegantly expressed bouquet shows ripe apricot, lemon peel, oatmeal, nougat, biscotti, and fine oak characters with a hint of flint. The palate delivers an impressive drive and flow, complemented by a richly textured mouthfeel and perfectly pitched acidity, finishing expansive and engaging.”

96/100 & Top Rank Award (Huon Hooke, The Real Review)
“Medium-full depth of brilliant yellow colour; powerful bouquet of honeycomb, sizzled butter and bread crust, wheat biscuit and cracked yeast, clean as a whistle—no reduction. The palate is bright and rich, medium-full bodied and ample in the mouth, the acidity lifting and carrying the flavour long into an extended aftertaste. A trace of tannin grip helps dry and lengthen the finish. Impressive chardonnay with a bright future. complexity, lively acidity and a persistant finish.”

5 Stars (Michael Cooper, NZ Listener)
“This classy, hand-picked wine was fermented and aged in French oak barriques (33% new). Bright, light yellow/green, it is full-bodied and sweet-fruited, with deep, peachy, slightly toasty and buttery flavours, fresh acidity and a long, dry, savoury finish. Complex, lively and harmonious, it should be at its best from 2028 onwards. (13.5% alc/vol) $46-$50”

They showed their secret nerdy side naming this one “Elston”, named after Elston Hall in Nottinghamshire in the UK. It’s the ancestral home of Charle’s Darwin’s family. In their words, “Darwin’s ‘theory of natural selection’ forms the basis of modern evolutionary theory, the foundation of biology.” Sheesh, can we just enjoy a glass already?

Lots of sweet stone fruit flavours and a moderately buttery finish. Drink it now or chuck some in the cellar and slurp away between now and five to six years from vintage and pair with seafood, poultry and soft, ripened cheeses.