Aged in new and one-year old French oak, the 2007 Rifleman’s Chardonnay has a fresh, well defined bouquet with hints of jasmine and honeysuckle, custard cream biscuits and a touch of lemon curd all with great precision. The exoticism of its youth has certainly been dialed down with age. The palate is medium-bodied with a touch of spice on the entry. It displays superb balance, great weight and fruit intensity with a lovely finish of tangerine and mango. This is just lovely. Drink now-2015. Tony Bish continues to produce some outstanding examples of Hawkes Bay wine and their Helmsman stood shoulder to shoulder with an array of top Bordeaux 2005s at a blind tasting in 2009. Their entry-level Gunn Estate wine form a superb introduction to the delights of the region’s wines, in particular their Skeetfield Chardonnay. Importer: Diageo Chateau & Estate Wines, Napa, CA; www.diageo.com

Attractive ripe fruit. Some minerality and finesse. Fresh, lively with restraint and understated complexity. Well made.