Askerne Reserve Chardonnay

Ey up!  Named Askerne after the spa town of Askern in Yorkshire, northern England. It’s the hometown of co-owner Kathryn Loughlin but these days she calls home Hawke’s Bay, where you’ll find the Askerne winery and vineyard.

Ee-Ba-Gum (as they say in Yorkshire) – the gum trees that feature on the label are a prominent feature of the Askerne vineyard.

A boutique, hands on producer, these guys dabble in making a little bit of everything – Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Semillon, Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Barbera, Carmenere, Mourvedre, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot.

This is their 2022 vintage Reserve Chardonnay and it’s a real touch of class. It took out a whopping FOUR Gold medals at domestic NZ wine shows, it’s a pretty impressive haul.

Also scoring 4 1/2 Stars with Michael Cooper who said “The vigorous, estate-grown 2022 vintage was fermented and lees-aged for 10 months in French oak barrels (32 per cent new). Pale gold, it is fragrant and full-bodied, with strong, fresh, peachy, mealy, toasty flavours, lively acidity and very good complexity. It needs time; best drinking 2025+.”