This Chardonnay displays characteristics of citrus blossom and mandarin. The palate shows a rich creamy mouthfeel with added complexity from integrated elegant oak flavours. This is a rich, flavorsome wine balanced by natural acidity and finishing with a refined minerality. The wine is approachable now but will reward cellaring in the short to medium term.
Food Match
Serve with soft NZ cheeses, or with summer salads or poultry dishes.
Winemakers Notes
Chardonnay grapes were hand harvested and whole bunch pressed. This provided gentle extraction of the free run juice. The wine was fermented in 50% new French barriques. 70% of the blend was fermented using a variety of commercial yeast strains and 30% using indigenous yeast to provide elegance and complexity. A portion of the wine went through full malolactic fermentation to balance the acidity and provide richness to the wine. Matured for ten months in barrel before blending, the wine was regularly lees stirred in barrel to provide texture and mouthfeel. Following blending the wine was stabilised, fined and filtered to bottle.
