Bannockburn - Grigsby Chardonnay - 2021

This is the first release from the estate’s close-planted, certified organic vineyard. It’s named after Lucas Grigsby, who has been the vineyard manager at Bannockburn for over 30 years. It was both fermented and matured in oak, but none of that oak was new. Glowing straw colour. Full of flavour. Grilled peaches, juicy pears and some green pineapple too. This is a wine of both concentration and poise; it bursts up front and through the middle but then tightens considerably through the finish. Indeed there’s a fair amount of grip here. Woodsmoke notes rise through the aroma and appear again through the aftertaste. It’s complex. It’s a bit wild at heart. It’s not 100% cohesive at present, but it will become so. 94 Points Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front