Cannonball Chardonnay 2014

Cannonball - a winery of high repute, making delicious, finely crafted wines - write of this 2014 Chardonnay that it "offers a sophisticated nose of lemon custard", which paints a rather silly picture.

If anyone would like to send us their depiction of what "a sophisticated nose of lemon custard" looks like, we'd be most interested.

Anyhoo, back to the wine. It's gorgeous. It balances zesty Granny apple and peaches with a vanilla pod creaminess, with a hint of buttery short crust pastry. Yowzer.

Founded in 2006, the Cannonball Wine Company has grown from a modest Cabernet producer to a solid industry player. Its mission is to produce approachable, quality wines that deliver a serious splash. Founded by Yoav Gilat, a consultant for many leading drinks brands, and Dennis Hill, a winemaking guru with 30 years of experience at the likes of Seghesio, Alexander Valley and Blackstone amongst others.

Cannonball uses a dual-tier approach to source the fruit, using grapes from both small estate vineyards owned and managed by its winemaker, Dennis Hill, as well as from selected growers, with whom Dennis has had longstanding relationships. This approach allows them to achieve their signature approachable style and maintain continuity from vintage to vintage.

50% of Cannonball 2010 Chardonnay is fermented in French oak barrels and 50% in stainless steel tanks, with 85% of the wine undergoing malolactic fermentation.

Their Chardonnay offers a sophisticated nose of lemon custard, peaches and a hint of pie crust. On the palate, stone fruit and tropical notes like pineapple come into the mix, with even a hint of Granny Smith apple and vanilla bean on the finish.