Waitaki Chardonnay with Seafood, Poultry and Vegetables
Our 2025 Chardonnay has a floral quality that we want to retain at the table. White nectarine and fresh fruit sit alongside the depth of barrel fermentation and partial malolactic fermentation. The wine’s appeal lies in having both present, with texture through the middle and freshness carrying the finish.
That character suggests food with some richness and relatively clear flavours. Shellfish, gently roasted fish and poultry offer several ways into the wine, depending on the preparation.
Shellfish and butter
Candice Chow’s 96-point review of the 2025 suggests langoustine. Delicate shellfish with a little butter is a natural companion to this Chardonnay, allowing its fragrance and fresh finish to remain clear.
Scallops with cauliflower purée would follow a similar idea. The interest is in the relationship between the shellfish’s sweetness, the softness of the purée and the wine’s freshness. Strong smoke or a sweet glaze would move the dish towards a different balance.
The sauce shapes the pairing
Pan-roasted fish with lemon butter gives Chardonnay a fuller setting than raw shellfish. The quantity of lemon matters as much as the fish chosen. A sauce can bring freshness to a plate or dominate it, and the wine will be encountered through that seasoning.
WSET’s account of food pairing recognises this influence of acidity, salt and fat. It helps explain why a familiar ingredient can work differently from one preparation to another.
Poultry and vegetables
Roast chicken with tarragon suits the 2025. Browned skin and pan juices provide richness, while the herb gives the dish an aromatic detail of its own. Roasted cauliflower with almonds offers a vegetable-led alternative.
Our 2024 Chardonnay, with its white-peach and citrus character, brings a different season to these possibilities. The wines share a vineyard, but their individual proportions are part of the interest. At a meal, a new vintage gives a familiar dish another dimension.
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