The 2020 Mate's Vineyard Chardonnay is savory and exotic, with star anise, shaved fennel, hints of cracked cumin and white pepper. This is the tightest and most linear of the 2020s tasted today, but this is a good thing. Far from being boring, linear is not a pejorative descriptor; this is a composed and powerful wine with really good palate weight, and it's the only wine in the collection to contain the Mendoza clone; the volume in the mouth does check out. This is an excellent wine, thrusty and intense. There are miles to go before it sleeps. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

This is usually the lowest alcohol because it ripens late because of virus and is therefore picked late. Quite a deep straw colour. Spicy, exotic nose – is this the Mendoza character? Big and bold – even quite muscular. Then a dry, chalky finish. Really rolls around the palate after being tasted. Even a hint of that old-fashioned Chardonnay flavour, pineapple! Still slightly astringent. (JR)