Scorpo Eocene Chardonnay 2019

Critics thoughts -  As you’d expect for the flagship white, this is hand-picked fruit, whole-bunch pressed to French barrels, 25% new, and aged 12 months. No mlf and no lees stirring. Tight as a drum, shot with racy acidity. And no shortage of very flinty sulphides, which would be too much funky reduction, if not for the weight and richness of fruit to balance. Complex, assured, rich, textural, savoury and compelling.  96 points Jane Faulkner 

The Eocene Epoch is a geological age that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago, which is about as old as I feel at present, aside from having no grey hair, which was not a feature of that age anyway.

Plenty of sulphide and struck match stuff here, alongside Japanese ginger, chamomile, and mixed citrus. It’s tight and hungry, like a Mesonyx on the hunt, with brown pear drizzled with lime, all chalky and flinty, with a cool spicy and zesty tang to close. You have to like them a bit wild and wooly, but excellent wine of bony charm and finesse.  95 Points Gary Walsh