- Winery: Swift Wines
- Wine Region: Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
- Variety: Chardonnay
- Vintage: 2024
- Price: $40 NZD
- Find it: from the winery direct and wine retailers
- Alcohol content: 13%
- You’ll like this if: you want a chardonnay with energy and texture
- Body: Medium
- Mouthfeel: Creamy
- Taste: Zesty, spiced, vibrant
- Flavours: Peach, citrus, nuttiness
- Enjoy it with: Good company and a good meal
- Food pairings: Roast chicken, fresh seafood
Wine review: Swift Wines 2024 Chardonnay
Next up in the Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay series is the Swift Wines 2024 Chardonnay, and this one’s got a lot going on in the best way. It’s naturally fermented, which basically means the winemakers let it do its own thing rather than stepping in. Pour it and you’ll get a pale straw colour, then a nose full of ripe stone fruit, juicy citrus and apple, with a touch of florals and a gentle nuttiness underneath. Give it a bit more time in the glass and you’ll pick up creamier notes too, think cream, a bit of spice, almonds and oats.
Take a sip and the acidity is what grabs you first, bright and lively, carrying flavours of peach, lemon and spice all the way through. There’s a lightly creamy texture underneath it all, so it never feels sharp or thin, just really well balanced. It’s the kind of chardonnay that keeps you coming back for another sip. Pour it alongside fresh seafood, a roast chicken, or even a pumpkin and feta salad, and you’re set for a good time.
About Swift Wines
Swift Wines is the brainchild of Lauren and Henry Swift, who officially got things going back in 2016. Lauren’s whole life has basically led to this, she grew up on an orchard in Marlborough, picked grapes on a neighbouring vineyard as her first job, studied wine science at Hawkes Bay’s EIT, and picked up experience everywhere from Clos Henri to vintages in California and the Rhone Valley. She was even crowned NZ’s Young Winemaker of the Year at just 25. So when she and Henry decided to go out on their own, they weren’t exactly starting from scratch, they just didn’t have all the answers yet. What they did have was a dream, a lot of determination, and a shared belief in working hard and playing harder.
That philosophy shows up in every bottle. Swift is all about minimal intervention, letting each wine reflect exactly where and when it was grown, which means doing things by taste and feel rather than following a strict formula. They lean into experimental varieties too, taking inspiration from their travels and years of sharing wine with friends, blending old world techniques with modern ideas to create something with real energy. At the end of the day, it all comes back to connection, a good glass of wine bringing people together to talk, celebrate and make memories. Someone once called Swift “serious wines for not-so-serious people,” and honestly, that sums it up perfectly.
Learn more about this wine on their website.
Note: This wine was sent as a sample. I was under no obligation to post about it.