Aotea by the Seifried family Nelson Chardonnay 2022

The 2022 Aotea by the Seifried family Nelson Chardonnay has a lovely nutty, toasty nose with layers of ripe succulent summer peach. The palate is generous with layers of spice, toast and fruit interwined. Lovely lingering flavours persist on the palate.

Our Brightwater Vineyard is situated 15KM from the coast and is sheltered from the south by the Richmond Ranges. The ‘soil’ is a combination of rocks and boulders which is very hard on the farm equipment, but vital for holding the warmth of Nelson’s sun and for ripening the grapes.

The hen and chicken berries of the Mendoza Chardonnay clone give full tropical flavours. Fruit was harvested and brought to the winery where it was immediately pressed and cooled for a 24 hour settling period. Following this the juice was racked and warmed before inoculation. Once ferment was activated, it was gravity fed to new, one and two year old French barriques. The wine completed primary alcohol fermentation in oak before undergoing malolactic fermentation.

The 'hen and chicken' berries of the Mendoza clone of chardonnay give full tropical flavours. Fruit was harvested and brought to the winery where it was immediately pressed and cooled for a 24 hour settling period. Following this the juice was racked and warmed before inoculation. Once the ferment was active it was gravity fed to new, one and two year old French barriques. The wine completed primary alcohol fermentation in the oak before undergoing malolactic fermentation. During these alcoholic fermentations the barrels were hand stirred periodically to build palate weight and structure. Following this the wine was left sitting on its yeast lees for a further 10 months before being racked from barrique and prepared for bottling.