The 2009 Alwyn Chardonnay was 100% barrel ferment using 25% new oak and stayed 11 months on yeast lees with no malo-lactic. It offers a moderate intensity of apple and citrus aromas with whiffs of oatmeal, crushed stones and oyster shells. Medium bodied with plenty of expressive fruit, it has crisp acidity to balance and a long creamy finish. Drinking now, it should remain good to 2015. The nearly unpronounceable Ngatawara winery has been in business for around 30 years, starting as a family enterprise stemming from Alwyn Corban’s grandfather. It remains a family business today, albeit with some clearly defined label and brand extensions: Ngatawara Alwyn, Ngatawara Stables, Glazebrook and the new Farmgate, the latter two as stand-alone brands with their own separate reviews. “Having a process of label selection ensures best grapes in the top wines,” Alwyn commented during my visit this year. Production is around 40% Red / 60% white with the real strengths here being the Chardonnay, Syrah and Merlot (blend).Importer: Frederick Wildman and Sons, NY, NY; www.frederickwildman.com

The 2007 Alwyn Chardonnay has a very subtle nose: good definition with notes of nectarine, beeswax and creamy oak that does not overpower the bouquet. The palate has a rounded entry, soft with tropical undertones, just a little heavy with the oak that lends this Chardonnay a buttery finish. It has commercial appeal, but the 40% new oak could be dialed down and make a better Chardonnay. Drink now-2012. Few have more experience in Hawkes Bay than Alwyn Corban, who founded Ngatawara Wines in 1981. He is a talented winemaker, but at times I feel the wines try too hard to impress and there is a tendency to use too much oak when I believe that the fruit is ripe enough to stand on its own. Their Glazebrook series of wines is well worth seeking out and can offer great value.Importer: Frederick Wildman and Sons, New York, NY; tel. 1-800-REDWINE; www.frederickwildman.com.

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

The 2004 Alwyn Chardonnay is even better, hand picked, 100% barrel fermented but with no malo, matured in 100% French oak of which 60% is new. A very Burgundian nose with superb minerality greets the senses, the palate is tense and poised, a slightly viscous mouthfeel, very focused with a subtle honeyed finish inflected with dried apricot, lingering long after the wine has been expelled. This is a sophisticated, intellectual Chardonnay that should age gracefully over 8-10 years. 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