Bilancia Single Vineyard Chardonnay

Bilancia are one of the greatest of all NZ producers. They bloody get it, is my main comment.
Quite a funky struck match thing here, though not without the crisp green apple, fresh pineapple and kiwi fruit flavour. It's a bit smoky and quite juicy, lots of tang and energy, almost a mescal thing happening here, though again, juicy flavour carries it long. Intense, with a crisp finish of fine and sappy length. Charismatic and very distinct in personality. I like this very much. Top shelf. Kind of dirty, but in the nicest possible way. Yum. GARY WALSH, Wine Front

Single-vineyard chardonnay sourced from the Kaikora vineyard in ?t?ne. Mid-straw with characters of juicy peach, nectarine and citrus fruits. Hints of spice, struck flint, clover, wildflowers, nougat, almond meal, crushed stone, clotted cream and vanillin oak. Mouth-filling and expansive with just the right volume of struck match, plenty of pure lemon and peachy fruit and a wicked briny flick to its tail that fades slowly, the memories of its passage etching themselves in place for some time. Lovely. DAVE BROOKES, James Halliday's Wine Companion

Intense saline minerality accompanies the grilled Meyer lemon flavours on the powerful, acid-focused palate which slowly reveals cinnamon, pepper and white peach flavours on the sneakily long finish. Taut, serious and ageworthy, this walks a fine line with the reduction but there is no denying the depth of flavour contained within. Brilliantly balanced and very elegant STEPHEN WONG, Real Review

This is a new addition to the the range using fruit from what is fast becoming one of the more highly rated vineyards in Hawkes Bay; many of the Kiwi winemaking fraternity are taking fruit off this site. I've only just tasted this wine for the first time myself but it neatly fits into the range showing all of GIbson's winemaking prowess with lovely suphide, struck match and grilled nuts aromatics, sitting over stone fruit and some white flowers. On the palate, the fruit is lovely, more stone fruit but citrus chiming in to keep things alive and vibrant before being met with an undertow of phenolic twang and grip, giving more shape length in the wine. Banger. MICHAEL MCNAMARA

These Bilancia Chardonnay wines are quite something.

Floral perfume, mint tea, spice, grapefruit, lemon oil, nectarine. Powerful, complex, but balanced, acid line is very good and the finish is excellent. Flinty, wonderful texture and pith, What an impressive wine. (96) GARY WALSH

A beautiful chardonnay with cooked apple, nougat, honey, and hints of white peach pie. Some toffee. Full body. Flavorful and delicious. Drink or hold. Screw cap. (93) JAMES SUCKLING

The 2021 Chardonnay Tiratore La Collina Vineyard is a wine of substance that's held within a corset of acidity and well-handled phenolics. It is all about compact power. Its flavors are not dictated by fruit but more savory, nuanced character. There's some attractive reduction here in the form of a pinch of saltiness, which combines with classy hazelnut-like French oak notes, ground almonds and nectarine. If I were looking to show a new discovery to other wine collectors, I would have this in my backpack. (97) REBECCA GIBBS, Vinous