Smith & Sheth Cru Heretaunga Chardonnay 2018

Description

• French oak
• Fruit driven
• Vibrant acidity
• Creamy & lingering

Vibrant pale straw colour with some green tinges in the glass, this wine is fresh and fruit driven, almost Chablis-like in style. Complex and light on its feet with vibrant acidity balanced by a creamy, lingering texture.

100% Hand harvested fruit was whole bunch pressed and then fermented in a blend of new and aged French oak barriques, 19% new oak. 100 % indigenous malolactic fermentation with a small amount of lees stirring during the 10 months in barrel before bottling. Minimal filtration.

Fruit comes from two vineyards, 20-year-old Clone 15 and 95 vines that are dry farmed on a silty loam over gravel with some limestone influence. And old Mendoza vines grown on river terrace soil, light loam over gravel. Both vineyards are run to SWNZ standards with a nil residue spray programme. Harvest Dates: 7th and 20th of March 2018.

A warm season with the early to mid-summer being dry and relatively stress free from a growing perspective. A humid, somewhat damp March meant perfect timing of harvest was crucial.