Financial Times

Against a background of widespread admiration for New Zealand's wines, JANCIS ROBINSON MW takes a sideswipe at New Zealand Chardonnay. She observes that, while the typical New Zealand Chardonnay does show prominent acidity, it is too rarely accompanied by really interesting flavours'.
Robinson accepts, though, that there are some glorious exceptions, such as those produced by Michael Brajkovich MW at Kumeu River on the outskirts of Auckland. She also admits that some of the Hawkes Bay Chardonnays have greater subtlety than the norm.
The good news, says Robinson, is that the few growers who are putting new Chardonnay plants into the ground are choosing the more interesting, so-called Dijon' clones.