Image 1 of 1
The 2023 vintage in Marlborough turned out to be exceptional, producing grapes, and ultimately wine, of incredible quality, although it certainly didn’t always look that way. Spring 2022 started with good weather leading to a successful flowering and reasonable bunch numbers. From January onwards the weather was quite mixed, with showers and inconsistent temperatures, however the grapes came through in good order and the last two weeks prior to harvest had perfect conditions for slow, perfect ripening with cool nights and warm days.
Riverby Estate’s Chardonnay block was planted in 1989, making it one of the oldest Chardonnay blocks in Marlborough, and one of the few still on its own roots. It is also one of the few exclusively planted with the Mendoza clone of Chardonnay: Mendoza having long been recognised as the premium New Zealand chardonnay clone.
The grapes were harvested in perfect condition on 30 March 2023, and the wine was 100% fermented and aged in French oak. This wine is a selection of only the best barrels. It spent almost 12 months in oak, 35% new, and underwent lees stirring to produce our desired mealy characters. It underwent a full malolactic fermentation and was bottled on 6 March 2024.
Mid straw, pale gold in colour, it has a captivating nose displaying ripe stone fruits, peach and nectarine, citrus and vanilla. A noticeable brioche character and spicy oak notes. The palate is elegant and refined with a mouth-coating richness and bright acidity. It has classical Mendoza characters of golden queen peach as well as lemon, grapefruit and tangerine citrus notes. This is a textural, complex, full-bodied wine with rich, creamy, nutty hints. Perfectly poised with youthful grip and a lingering delicate finish.
Technical notes
Alcohol: 13.43% Acidity: 6.1 PH: 3.68 Residual Sugar: 0
Reviews
Complex and richly expressed, the wine shows golden peach, rock-melon, French vanilla, brioche, and cedar characters on the nose. The palate delivers excellent concentration and plush texture, splendidly supported by finely pitched acidity, finishing impressively long and satisfying. At its best: now to 2033. ***** 95/100 Sam Kim. Wine Orbit. Feb 2025
Sees just a little more oak than the regular Chardonnay - but still only 35% new oak. It has a nuttiness and a little hint of honey on the nose, some buttered toast in the background and ripe and nutty apple fruit edged by lemon rind. In the mouth it marries quite substantial weight and fruit density with a lightness from the modest 13.5% alcohol and squeeze of orange and lime acidity to brighten. 93/100 Tom Cannavan May 2025
Nose leaps out. with caramel, full cream, oak spices, the ripe fruit perfectly pitched in support. Grip and chewiness to the texture, youthful and reminding you of its potential, time in the cellar will be a friend but already approachable as it manages that combination of balance, flavour depth, yet without anything overstated or out of place. Confident, elegant, cracking wine.
Excellent to Outstanding Mark Henderson. ODT June 2025
Still unfolding, the estate-grown 2023 vintage (****1/2) was harvested from Wairau Valley vines over 30 years old and fermented and matured in French oak barrels. Pale straw, it is weighty, with generous, peachy, citrusy, mealy flavours, balanced acidity, and a finely textured, smooth, slightly buttery finish. Still youthful, it should be at its best mid-2026+. M. Cooper April 2025