Dog Point Chardonnay (Organic) 2019 ~ Marlborough, New Zealand

96/100 & 5 Stars Bob Campbell MW
95/100 James Suckling
94/100 Cameron Douglas
94/100 Gary Walsh
93/100 Vinous
Bronze - CellarTracker
93/100 Wine Spectator (2018 vintage)
Bronze - CellarTracker (2018 vintage)
93/100 Tom Cannavan (2017 vintage)
18/20 Vinum Wine Magazine (2017 vintage)
91/100 Wine Spectator (2016 vintage)
17/20 Vinum Wine Magazine (2016 vintage)
95/100 The Wine Front (2015 vintage)
93/100 Robert Parker (2015 vintage)
93/100 Tim Atkin (2015 vintage)
92/100 Wines & Spirits (2015 vintage)
92/100 Jasper Morris - Inside Burgndy (2015 vintage)
91/100 Decanter (2015 vintage)

5 Stars - Michael Coopers

Organic

Bob Campbell MW "Seductive chardonnay with white peach, citrus, grapefruit, oyster-shell and subtle spicy oak underpinned by delicious acidity. Intense wine with a lengthy finish."

James Suckling "Smoke, hay, dried mango, preserved lemon and buttered toast on the nose. Full-bodied with sharp acidity and a phenolic texture. Tight, concentrated and long."

Michael Cooper "This classy wine is estate-grown and hand-harvested on the south side of the Wairau Valley, fermented and matured for 18 months in French oak barriques (10 per cent new in 2019), and given a full, softening malolactic fermentation. The 2019 vintage is bright, light yellow/green, with a fragrant bouquet. Full-bodied, it is still very fresh and youthful, with concentrated, ripe stonefruit flavours, hints of toast and butterscotch, lively acidity, and impressive vigour and length. Certified organic."

Gary Walsh, The Wine Front "Intense sort of Chardonnay here, kind of like sticking your head out of a car window while driving at 110 km/h, which I’m sure is also the sort of thing that a dog would love too. Plenty of struck match, pink grapefruit, oatmeal and bran, BBQ chicken, guava and spice. And more, but that’ll do for now. Tight and tangy, but also bold and packed with flavour, biscuit oak, a mix of ripe lime and stone fruit, flint and funk, and a mouth-watering finish of excellent length and energy. Really very good."

Cameron Douglas MS "Alluring scents of ripe citrus and apple, peach, quince and a touch of golden kiwifruit followed by spices and mild toasty barrel layers, vanilla and raw sugar then a gun-flint soil complexity. On the palate – youthful and vibrant with layers of barrel spice and wood underpinning flavours of stone fruit and citrus reflecting the bouquet. Fine wood tannins, medium+ acidity, knocking on the door of full-bodied and a satin texture showcases both this wines deliciousness now, potential for cellaring and readiness for food."

Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous "The 2019 Dog Point is one hell of a mouthful of a Chardonnay with its full-bodied, concentrated, vanilla-infused core, offering density and richness of white stone fruit and oak-derived grilled nut and bacon flavors. It would be difficult to call this wine subtle, but what it lacks in demureness, it makes up for in impressiveness. Hailing from Marlborough, its volume is kept in check by natural acidity, creating a fine, precise and lengthy finish."

Tasting Note "Dog Point Chardonnay 2019 is a very young aromatic white. On the nose there are smoky notes, hay, dried mango and lemon. The palate is crisp and tight. Concentrated and long, with strong (but very pleasant) citrus. Full-bodied."

Oz Wine Review 2019 “Part of the secret to this label’s success is the Dog Point Vineyard itself, which is one of the oldest privately owned vineyards in Marlborough. Planted by Ivan and Margaret Sutherland back in the late 1970s, it remains not only the backbone of the Dog Point label but also a key source of fruit for a whole swathe of premium Marlborough producers.”

Robert Parker "...Zesty and refreshing, with a long, mouthwatering finish, this is a compelling example of Marlborough Chardonnay....The 2015 Chardonnay is a smoky, toasty, medium to full-bodied effort marked by a terrific acid line. That grapefruit note provides the backbone over which riper notions of white peach, toasted hazelnut and pineapple rest. " (2015 vintage)

Jancis Robinson "...Another exceptional [chardonnay]" (2015 vintage)

Wines & Spirits "What’s great about this wine is its ability to maintain its size and scope without the flavors becoming overbearing. From vines planted in 1981, this wine ferments in French oak (15 percent new), and integrates the wood notes into the fruit seamlessly. It’s a full-bodied wine that moves well, with notes of chamomile, ripe lemon and raw hazelnuts tethered to breezy acidity. It has lively energy and will cellar well for up to five years." (2015 vintage)

Tim Atkin "Not as well known as the Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc releases, but every bit as good in my opinion, this is frequently among my favourite South Island chardonnays. Toasty, savoury and enticing, it has citrus and beeswax notes supported by fresh, palate cleansing acidity and a nutty finish." (2015 vintage)

Tina Gellie "When Cloudy Bay was bought by LVMH, viticulturalist Ivan Sutherland and oenologist James Healy left to start Dog Point. Aromas of white peach an grapefruit with a firm citrus backbone, balanced by buttery oak. Intensely flavoured white to enjoy with fish." (2015 vintage)

Decanter "Aromas of white peach and grapefruit with a firm citrus backbone, balanced by buttery oak. Intensely flavoured white to enjoy with fish." (2015 vintage)

The Real Review "Dog Point Vineyard, one of Marlborough’s brightest stars." (2015 vintage)

Organic wines are made from grapes grown without pesticides, following strict organic standards. Organic wines are produced in vineyards that do not use synthetic chemicals.Certified organic wines have been certified by Biogro New Zealand. 

Dog Point is one of New Zealand's most loved wineries formed by famous Cloudy Bay's wineries former viticulturalist and winemaker Ivan Sutherland and James Healy. Some years ago they decided to go out on their own creating Dog Point. Dog Point vineyards are some of the earliest vineyards to be planted in Marlborough and have some of the oldest vines in the region. Dog Point is named for the sheep-herding history of the area.

Organic philosophies drive Dog Point's approach to wine growing and in March 2012, 150 hectares of Vineyards were certified organic by BioGro New Zealand, with another 60 hectares certified as C1 (2 years in conversion). A flock of around 2,000 sheep including Romney, Perendale Cross and Merino Wiltshire Cross are grazed in the winter to keep the grass low and fertilise as they go.