Maui Chardonnay 2024 ($23 per bottle)

Quantities are in 6 Packs
$23 per bottle - $138 per 6 pack case.

AWARDS & REVIEWS:
5 STARS (93 POINTS) - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

COLOUR: A pale straw green.
NOSE AND PALATE: Interlinking aromas of nectarine and stone fruits, vanilla and roasted hazelnut, offering a flavoursome palate of succulent fruit flavours with stylish complexity and a delicious finish.

VINEYARD REGION: 100% Waipara Valley, North Canterbury

VINTAGE CONDITIONS: The 2023/2024 growing season saw a swing back to El Nino. Prepared for a hot and dry season, the first half was dominated by strong winds. Mixed weather patterns saw large swings in temperature day to day and rainfall at critical times. The flow on effect of that on flowering conditions meant fewer and smaller bunches than normal, but with settled and warm weather as we moved into the early new year, we were able to use water from our own reservoirs to ensure healthy canopies, and that we kept the fruit ripening through to harvest. Anticipating an early harvest due to the warm temperatures and low yields, the dry end to the season saw minimal disease pressure. We were able to leave the fruit on the vines allowing it to reach optimum levels of ripeness before picking. The result giving us fruit of well-developed flavours for this delicious wine.

WINEMAKING: The Chardonnay was hand-picked across three different blocks each differing dependent on flavour, Brix and acidity. Once picked, the fruit was transported to the winery, sent across the sorting table then transferred as whole bunches to the press. The juice was gently squeezed and settled for 12 hours in tank then transferred to barrel for 100% natural (wild) fermentation. The barrel configuration was a mix of new, 1 year old then older French barriques. Post fermentation, the barrels were stirred fortnightly for two months then left to sit over winter then they naturally went through malolactic fermentation in the spring. Blending took place in January and bottled in March.

WINEMAKER: Alastair Maling MW

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Chardonnay

MATURATION:
Fermented and aged for 11 months in a combination of new and old French oak.

WINE ANALYSIS:
Alc Vol: 14.5%
Acidity (TA): 7.03 g/L
Residual Sugar: 1.73 g/L
pH: 3.34 g/L

WHEN TO ENJOY:
Drinking well now and will continue to develop nicely for a further five to seven years.