Pask Declaration Chardonnay is the top tier Chardonnay from C.J. Pask, grown on the Gimblett Gravels of Hawke's Bay and barrel fermented in French oak. Hawke's Bay | Gimblett Gravels | Barrel-Fermented Chardonnay | Top-Tier Declaration Tasting Notes Very vibrant and exotic on the nose which delivers a lovely blend of crème brûlée, dried toasted ripe stone fruits of peach and nectarine. The palate is tight and layered with evolving expressions of stone fruit, pineapple and a leesy depth and breadth revealing a lovely underlying complexity of walnuts, vanilla spice and very fine wood tannins. A wine with great weight and luscious creaminess, flavour and style. A rich, textural Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay with real weight and length. Why you'll love it: A grown-up, barrel-worked Chardonnay with real presence, layering stone fruit and pineapple over leesy, nutty creaminess and fine French-oak spice. Generous and textural, yet carried by fresh acidity so it never tips into heavy. One for Chardonnay lovers who like weight with style. Reviews 93 points, "Excellent", Cameron Douglas MS (October 2025): "A delicious wine with weight and creaminess, flavour and style." 5 Stars, Michael Cooper (2025): "A powerful, extroverted style, it's already highly expressive." The Wine Estate grown on Pask's Gimblett Gravels vineyard, the 2024 is a blend of Clone 15 and Mendoza Chardonnay. The free-run juice was barrel fermented with wild yeasts in predominantly new French oak, taken through full malolactic fermentation, and lees stirred for around ten months to build weight and creamy depth before bottling. About C.J. Pask C.J. Pask Winery was founded by Chris Pask, who first saw the promise of the Gimblett Gravels from the air while flying his topdressing plane over Hawke's Bay. The free-draining, sun-soaked stones of the ancient Ngaruroro riverbed proved ideal for ripening, and Pask planted some of the district's earliest vines there, helping to establish what is now one of New Zealand's most celebrated wine areas. Four decades on, the team still farm sustainably and grow and bottle their estate wines on site, with the Declaration range sitting at the very top of the house. Perfect with roast chicken, pork loin, creamy pasta or a wedge of mild, nutty cheese. Discover more in our Chardonnay collection, or call or text Laura on 021 591 500 for a personal recommendation.
