Consistently one of NZ's top Chards, Bell Hill's 2015 Chardonnay is a super effort. From aromas of pencil shavings, toasted hazelnuts, white peach and citrus to a medium-bodied palate packed with flavor and an impeccably silky texture, this is exemplary. Then the lemon and pastry-crust notes linger elegantly on the finish. Terrific, refined stuff.

Bell Hill's 2014 Chardonnay somehow manages to deliver ample weight and richness in the absence of overt fruit. Delicate notes of struck flint, pencil shavings (it saw 16% new French oak for 12 months) and wet stone expand in the mouth to deliver volume and flesh, but the fruit is restrained, offering subtle hints of white nectarine and pineapple on the mid-palate. Finally, peach and citrus notes burst free on the lingering finish. It's a fine, unique expression of New Zealand Chardonnay, just not representative of the overall market.

The 2013 Chardonnay has a refreshingly savory and mineral-scented nose, with notes of baking bread, yeast extract, toasted almonds, crushed stones and struck flint over a core of lemon meringue pie and grapefruit peel. Medium-bodied with a gorgeous satiny texture, it offers an understated, quiet intensity that is truly unique and compelling.

From a cool vintage and a small crop, the 2012 Chardonnay is lean and tight, with plenty of life ahead of it. Scents of toasted brioche and buttered cashews are backed by mixed citrus flavors of oranges, limes and grapefruit. This saw 25% new French oak; recent vintages have seen that proportion trimmed to 15% to 20%.

The 2011 Bell Hill Chardonnay unfolds with wonderfully expressive aromas of ripe apricots, green mango and pink grapefruit plus underlying notes of baking bread, ginger, cashews and crushed stones. The mouth explodes with well delineated stone fruit, exotic spice and subtle nut notes complimented by a beautiful satiny texture and concluding with a long multi-layered finish. Once again, Bell Hill: Wow!