Region: Hawke's Bay, NZ

Vineyard Appellation: Gimblett Gravels

Vineyard: Tin Shed, 125 Gimblett Road

100% Chardonnay

CLONES: 64% Clone 95, 32% Clone 548, 4% Clone 15

Picked 28 February- 16 March 2020

Alc. 14.0%

TA 6.3 g/L

pH 3.28

RS 1.1 g/L

Truly great Chardonnay is exhilarating. When all the elements – ripe fruit, savoury oak, refreshing acidity – are in balance, working together in harmony, the result is a sublime combination of richness and power coupled with sophistication and refinement. This is our vision when making Chardonnay and what we feel we have captured in this, our third, single vineyard release.

Hand harvested fruit from Clone 95, 548 and 15 Chardonnay vines in our “Tin Shed” vineyard on 125 Gimblett Road was gently pressed and the juice fermented in new 500-litre French oak puncheons. Malolactic fermentation was encouraged to soften the acidity and impart further richness. The wine spent 12 months on yeast lees building further texture and complexity before being racked out of barrel, filtered, and bottled in March 2021 with no fining.

Fragrant aromas of white peaches, ripe grapefruit, and citrus blossom are complemented by hints of roasted nuts, flint, sweet spices, and marzipan.

The wine is rich and concentrated in the mouth yet remains focused and composed with outstanding persistence and length of flavour. Pure stone fruit/citrus flavours, cedary/toasty oak, gently drying phenolics and a fine thread of acidity combine effortlessly on the palate leading to a savoury, mouthwatering finish.

A superb Chardonnay of exquisite balance, poise and tension that will captivate you until the very last drop.

Drink 2022 to 2032.