Marlborough a+ Chardonnay 2021

COLOUR A lively golden straw colour.

NOSE Rich brioche and crème brulée with a hint of nuttiness and flint.

PALATE Peach flavours are perfectly integrated with subtle oak which is bound by structured acidity.

CELLARING Drink now to December 2027.

Harvest 2021 was about 8 days earlier than 2020 and kicked off on March 9th and was complete in 4 weeks finishing on April 9th. No two vintages are the same and this year the difference was the lower yield. Springtime flowering conditions weren’t favourable with cooler weather than usual leading to a large reduction in yield. Some late spring frosts occurred affecting some localised areas of Marlborough and contributed to the lower yielding 2021 vintage. However, we had great weather throughout the ripening period, lots of sunshine and cooler nights, and very little rain so there was no disease pressure and all varieties achieved fantastic ripeness and flavours, albeit small volumes.

Our grapes were harvested from our premium chardonnay producing vineyard in the heart of the Wairau valley. These were crushed and the juice then fermented with wild yeast in French oak barriques which gives this wine the complex flavours and interesting textures. The naturally occurring secondary fermentation adds to this complexity giving this wine rich accents of creamy vanilla.