Main Divide Chardonnay 2021

On release its colour is pale gold. The bouquet is a beguiling merger of savoury, stone fruit and citrus. Aromas of lemon and peach intersect with lightly spiced oak, hazelnut and a hint of orange blossom. A whisper of struck match adds complexity and a flinty minerality. The mouthfeel is textured and creamy, with a superbly weighted palate. A seam of lively acidity provides the perfect partnership, paving the way for a long and attractive finish.

The vineyard is located within the Waipara Valley of North Canterbury, on free draining, north facing terraces carved out of New Zealand’s Southern Alps by an ice-age glacier. It benefits from being in the lee of the Teviotdale Range, giving maximum protection from the Pacific’s easterly breezes and thus creating a unique mesoclimate. The vines are over 30 years old, with a large proportion planted on their own roots. The soil is free draining and of low fertility, resulting in naturally reduced vine vigour. This produces low yields of optimally ripened, high quality, flavourful grapes, which fully express the qualities of this unique terroir. The vineyard has warm days, but the nights are amongst the coolest in the Waipara Valley, drawing out the ripening period of the grapes, while still retaining good natural acidity.

We use traditional Burgundian winemaking methods. The fruit was harvested during late March and early April and gently pressed. The non-clarified juice was then put into large French oak barriques, where it underwent primary fermentation by the grapes’ natural yeasts. The wine was then matured in these barriques on its own yeast lees (sur lie). In late spring after harvest, it started to go through spontaneous secondary (malolactic) fermentation. It was regularly tasted during this time and the fermentation was stopped when the ideal balance was obtained.