Only 1,153 cases of this high-end wine were made, but it will prove worth any needed searching for lovers of intensely flavorful Chardonnays. Aged in 55% new French oak, it is very spicy and toasty, but the fruit’s concentration and energizing acidity are up to the task of producing a beautifully balanced wine. It is thoroughly enjoyable now, but this will be even more complex and finely integrated if you can summon another four years of patience.
A luxurious array of texture and flavor: cherry blossom, sweet beets in tilled soil, dark fruits, and exotic incense. Sassafras and butterscotch are rapturous.
The majority of vines located on the northern side of the Wairau valley, with proximity to the Wairau river are planted on infertile gravel beds low in nutrients with poor drainage. The result appears in the concentrated flavors and aromas in the wine. A smaller percentage of the fruit hails from the Awatere Valley from the winery’s Seaview Vineyard, with a close proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Aromas of freshly cut grass, grapefruit, and sweet basil are irresistible. Crisp, clean notes of tangerine blossom, star fruit, and honeyed yellow apple are amplified, along with a keen acidity. Spearmint integrates with an undeniable minerality, and the wine’s long finish impacts the sensation of one of the freshest Sauvignon Blancs we’ve tasted.
Bewitching, shadowed notes of dusty plum, cocoa, and mulberry. Soft, supple tannins create a lush mouthfeel. Balanced fruit, with fine acid structure, and spiced oak.
Ripe chocolate-cherry, beet root, cinnamon, and espresso create a pleasurable array of flavors. Round, supple tannins merge for a port-like finish.
Woodsy, with cherry liqueur, balsamic, and wild strawberry-flavored pipe tobacco. Bright in its maturity, with spiced cedar and mocha-plum on the finish.
Easy to drink, balanced flavor profile. Grapefruit and laurel notes, along with just-ripened pineapple, access its racy acidity with tart overtones. Bright and perky from start to finish.
Woodsy aromas consume your attention until you deep dive into an abyss of dark chocolate. Cigar leaf, licorice, and black plum add lush notes to the finish.