The Craft Series The Pioneer Chardonnay 2016

Fragrant aromas of ripe apple, citrus blossom and roasted almonds combine with a generous lift of toasty oak and a hint of gun smoke. Charred stone fruit with a mealy and creamy richness derived from barrel fermentation provide the framework for this full-bodied wine, structurally tied together with a precise line of lush acidity leading into a long, lingering finish. This deliciously complex wine will be a great partner to pan-roasted deep sea fish such as bluenose, finished with brown butter and sage, served with celeriac puree and a simple green salad.

Fairleigh Estate & Waihopai River Vineyards, Marlborough Sourced evenly between 18 year old Clone 15 vines from the Fairleigh Estate Vineyard and second cropping Mendoza vines from the Waihopai River Vineyard. The youthful vibrance of the Mendoza is balanced perfectly by the roundness of the older Clone 15.

Hand-harvested and whole bunch pressed, the resulting juices were warm fermented on full solids in a range of large-format French oak barrels. The young wines were left to mature on full yeast lees for a period of 10 months, with the occasional stir and as the weather warmed in early spring, malolactic fermentation was encouraged in approximately half of the barrels.

Aged on lees in French oak barrels for 10 months.