The Smith & Sheth 'CRU' Heretaunga Chardonnay is a premium, medium-to-full-bodied, and elegantly structured white wine from Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Sourced from exceptional gravelly vineyards across the Bridge Pa Triangle, Gimblett Gravels, and Mangatahi subregions, this boutique release by Master of Wine Steve Smith masterfully balances classic Hawke's Bay fruit power with refined, cool-climate precision.
- Aromas: Fresh and complex with white-fleshed peach, lemon curd, and roasted cashews, layered with river stones, toasted brioche, and a striking hint of flinty gunsmoke.
- Palate: Taut yet open, delivering concentrated flavours of ripe stonefruit, green apple, and confit lemon, beautifully balanced by a creamy texture and fine, building mid-palate weight.
- Style: Sophisticated and multi-dimensional, prioritizing vibrant mineral drive, structural energy, and a clean, savoury finish over heavy or buttery oak.
- Winemaking: Hand-harvested and 100% wild-fermented in French oak barrels (30% new), followed by 11 months of aging to integrate subtle toasty oak complexity.
- Cellaring: Deliciously expressive on release, but well-suited for medium-term cellaring over 3 to 6 years to develop richer nutty and burnt-butter notes.
- Food Pairing: Perfect with roasted pork loin, five-spice duck, wild mushroom gnocchi, or grilled lobster with garlic butter.
This bottle completely reimagines classic Hawke's Bay Chardonnay, trading heavy oak for pure, crystalline fruit and a refined mineral core. It strikes a beautiful chord between textural stone-fruit weight and a crisp, lingering finish that leaves a lasting impression of elegance.
Smith & Sheth
Founded in 2014 by Steve Smith MW and Brian Sheth, Smith & Sheth crafts world-class wines from outstanding New Zealand vineyards. Operating as contemporary négociants, they source exceptional fruit from some of the country's finest sites, working closely with growers to capture the essence of each location.
Steve Smith MW — one of New Zealand's few Masters of Wine and founder of Craggy Range — brings deep expertise to wines that are elegant, authentic, and rooted in a strong sense of place.
