The Craft Series The Pioneer Chardonnay 2019
New Zealand, Southern Valleys
Chardonnay
Alcohol
13.5%
Analytical data
0.59 g/l residual sugar
Vineyard
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.
Vinification
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.
Was malolactic fermentation used: yes
Was high-solid fermentation used: no
Bottling
Closure: Screw top