19 Crimes turned criminals into colonists. Upon conviction, British rogues, guilty of at least one of the 19 Crimes, were sentenced to live in Australia, rather than death. 19 Crimes Hard Chard is deep, rich and golden filled with stone fruit aromas and a sweet textured palate. The Hard Chard honours the brave contributions of the women banished to Australia with the boldest expression of Chardonnay they could make.

Golden, straw colour. Partial malolactic fermentation and weekly lees stirring creates a wine that is both vibrant and textural. Full, dry with sweet peach, nectarine, citrus and biscotti with a lingering stone fruit finish.

An opulent, oaky, buttery and toasty styled Chardonnay created with 100% oak barrel fermentation, 100% malolactic fermentation and oak aged in a mix of French and American oak.

Bay and Barnes leaned on our cousins across the ditch for the grapes to make this classic Australian Chardonnay. Following harvest, fruit was gently pressed before settling. Specially selected yeasts were used to start fermentation. From there the wine was delicately matured on oak and lees stirred to impart lovely toasty flavours and a creamy texture.

Closeburn is Chard Farm's un-oaked Chardonnay. The fruit is grown throughout the Central Otago region and exhibits the regions natural elegant fruit flavours and mineral complexity. The wine is fermented in tank to retain its bright fruit. It is then left to rest on its yeast lees to gain some doughy complexity and softness. This is a refreshing full-bodied wine, unencumbered by oak and superb with food. Juicy nectarine and pear fruits, with apple blossom floral tones giving a nice lift to the attractive bouquet. The palate displays wonderful purity of tree fruit flavour. There is a nice flow to the structure and length, with good balance and chewy acidity.

The Judge & Jury chardonnay is grown on Chard Farm's The Tiger and Viper Vineyards in the Lowburn and Parkburn regions of the Cromwell basin. A steep slope overlooking the Tiger vineyard in Lowburn produces the same aromatically spicy and floral profiles that we find in the Pinot Noir grown there, as well as similar persistence and very long lived flavours. While the Viper Vineyard in Parkburn grows intensely lemony and creates a weighty Chardonnay, the palate length showcases the rich mineral acid and saline notes typical of this vineyard. An intense bouquet of green apple and ripe citrus is first up before more complex notes of white flowers, creaminess and wet stone are released. There is good intensity on the palate with rich citrus and apple fruits. Beautifully balanced and seamless the wine is extremely drinkable, with lingering citrus and nutty notes with a light salinity bringing some extra focus and purity.

Church Road Chardonnay is a blend of wines from their best vineyards in the Tuki Tuki river valley, grown and crafted to deliver a full-bodied yet refined wine. This cooler wine growing district delivers beautifully fragrant Chardonnay with weight, minerality and fresh natural acidity. Subtle citrus, citrus flower, mineral, ripe melon, fig and hazelnut on the palate. The palate is full but elegant, with a seam of minerality adding length and balance.

A fuller bodied Chardonnay balanced by gentle, fresh acidity and a spine of slate-like minerality. Fresh zesty citrus and citrus blossom notes are to the fore with riper, richer stonefruit underlying and providing extra depth. The fruit is overlaid with complexities of roasted nuts, toasted brioche, and a hint of struck flint and gun smoke. Already drinking exceptionally well, with age the wine will develop more complex, savoury nuttiness and will gain breadth and richness on the palate.

Named in honour of Gwen, the Wife of Tom McDonald, father of Church Road. Gwen explores a more elegant and refined style of winemaking. Gwen Chardonnay is a dry, elegant and refreshing Chardonnay with exceptional length and finesse. On the nose, the wine is reminiscent of citrus and ripe apple with citrus blossom and acacia floral notes. Subtle mineral complexity provides depth and interest, while there is a gentle creamy richness adding a more textural element to the palate.

The McDonald Series wines are an expression of both their fruit and the vision of their namesake winemaker. The finest free run juice was barrel fermented in predominantly older French oak to produce this finely textured, elegant Chardonnay. Vibrant citrus and stonefruit flavours are overlaid with subtle creamy oak and complexities of toasted hazelnut and brioche.

The palate is rounded in the mouth, with gentle citrus and white peach characters, enfolded in layers of crème patissière and hazelnut.

The cool yet sunny environment of Craggy Range's Te Awanga Vineyard near Cape Kidnappers allows the development of intense Chardonnay flavours in the grapes, captured using traditional winemaking techniques seen in the Chablis region of France. The wine's colour transforms into a pale straw hue, instantly evoking the coastal essence of the vineyard. The bouquet carries hints of oyster shells, sea spray, and cashews, further reinforcing its seaside character. A sense of vibrancy and freshness on the palate is complemented by lively acidity that doesn't compromise flavour. The taste of fresh lemon curd and subtle oak adds richness and makes for a delicious and invigorating palate.