Main Divide Chardonnay

2022, Waipara New Zealand

Made by the legendary Pegasus Bay in the Waipara, north Canterbury
92/100, Top Value and Top Rank (Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review) - "A wine that will appeal to those who like big and buttery chardonnay as well as the sleeker, more high energy style. Good value at this price ($22)"
Burgundian style Chardonnay - citrus and stone fruit flavours and spicy oak
Aged 12 months in French oak - drinking well now, but will develop over the next few years too

Main Divide Chardonnay is made by the Pegasus Bay crew – a primo Waipara producer with international recognition for their classy line up of wines.

This is the little brother to their Pegasus Bay label. Just quietly we reckon it’s punching well above its weight for under twenty bucks! Main Divide is the name given to the mighty Southern Alp range, nicknamed the “backbone of the South Island” by some southerners. Backbone is exactly what this stunning white has got in abundance.

The Pegasus winemaking team like to go with a “Burgundian” with their Main Divide Chardonnay. That means it’s had the fancy treatment of barrel fermentation, lees aging and malolactic fermentation to soften the acidity. The end result? A complex style full of citrus and stone fruit flavours and spicy oak.

This latest 2022 release is one of the best in recent times and backed by a rave review from Master of Wine Bob Campbell. Bob scored it 92/100 as well as a Top Value and Top Rank award. He said “A wine that will appeal to those who like big and buttery chardonnay as well as the sleeker, more high energy style. Good value at this price ($22).”

Drinking well now but will develop nicely over the next few years. Try pairing it with white meat and seafood dishes in rich sauces.