The 2006 Alwyn Chardonnay employs 40% new oak, the nose still a little subdued with touches of dried apricot, apple blossom and lime, all with good definition. The palate has a beguiling sense of natural balance with tropical fruit staying in the background: white peach, apricot and a touch of pineapple. With great tension and poise, this is a top-class New Zealand Chardonnay. The roots of Hawkes Bay’s Ngatarawa lay in the Corbans and Glazebrook families who united in 1981 to become one of the first wine producers in the area. The Glazebrooks sold their share in 1999 and the estate is currently run by cousins: Alwyn and Brian Corban. Their main vineyards are located in the heart of the Bridge Pa triangle, whose sandy-loam soil with gravelly sub-soil was formed by an ancient riverbed. There are four brands within the Ngatarawa portfolio, the Alwyn a selection of the best fruit in exceptional years.Importer, Frederick Wildman, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700; fax (212) 355-4719