Church Road

Church Road McDonald Series Chardonnay 2018

Award
Winner Top 100 Medium Bodied Dry White Wines
Grape Varieties
Chardonnay (100%) Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Country of Origin
New Zealand
Alcohol Content
13.5% Alcohol by Volume
Wine Type and Oak Treatment
Still White with Oak Treatment
Recommended Retail Price
RRP AU $26.59
Buy This Wine
  • Church Road
    150 Church Road
    Taradale, Napier
    New Zealand 4112
  • Anita Anderson, Brand Sites Administrator

“Aromas of peach and grilled nuts are echoed on the palate. Round and textured with cashew nut complexity leading to a long persistent finish. The wine was largely unchanged when tasted with food.”

“Rich and heady with hints of struck match. The palate is laden with ripe stone fruit and baked pear flavours. Excellent complexity and length. A lovely rich accompaniment to the food.”

“Oak and soft yellow plum and apple. Quite intense with depth and concentration. This wine will go far if left to age but it is good to drink now so will probably not be in the cellar long enough. Long on the finish.”

“Gun flint aroma with hints of tropical fruit and butter. A touch stone fruit with a lovely creamy balanced palate displaying very integrated oak notes. Dish goes well as the flavours become quite integrated.”

“Medium straw with green, complex toasty lemon, spice, solids and buttermilk creaminess, medium bodied, palate doesn’t quite live up to the promise of the nose slightly broader and fatter.”

“Smokey sulphides, struck match, sweet oak on the mouthfeel, giving way to a wine that is medium bodied and textured, with stone fruit, white peach, roasted hazelnuts.”

The Medium Bodied Dry White Wines were judged with

Chicken Rillette

Presented by chef Michael Manners

Ingredients

Poached Chicken:

  • No.15 Chicken
  • 2 Tbsp Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Thyme - fresh
  • 2 Tbsp Tarragon - fresh
  • 4 Bay Leaves
  • 2 carrots - chopped
  • 2 celery stalks – chopped
  • 2 onions – diced
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 250mL White Wine
  • 1.5L Chicken Stock
Chicken Rillettes:
  • 250g Butter
  • 300g eschallots - chopped
  • 3 Tbsp Tarragon – fresh
  • 1 Tbsp Thyme – fresh
  • 2 Tbsp Chives - fresh
  • Parsley

Method

  1. Combine the oil, thyme, tarragon, 2 of the bay leaves. Rub all over the chicken, well seasoned with salt and pepper. Cover and chill overnight.
  2. Preheat the oven to 150 deg C.
  3. In a large pot, add oil and brown chicken all over. Add vegetables and garlic, colour. Add herbs and wine, allow to reduce by at least 7/8’s. Add stock to at least half way up the chicken. Cover and bring to the boil, place in oven.
  4. Cook for about an hour, turning once.
  5. Remove the chicken from the stock and cool. Strain the stock and reduce to about 700mL.Remove skin and bones from the chicken flesh and cut into bite size pieces and reserve.
  6. Melt 100g butter, add eschallots and cook until tender
  7. Add chicken and remaining butter, tarragon, thyme and the reduced stock.
  8. Simmer until chicken is tender and stock is reduced but save the liquid remains. Check seasoning and cool. Add parsley and chives. Pack into pots or plastic containers. Cover well.
  9. Use within 5 days or freeze.
  10. Serve with French Baguettes and pickles.