Delta Hatters Hill Marlborough Chardonnay 2022

Description

Nectarine, Oak, Vanilla

"Bright, even, pale yellow. The nose is full and elegant, with aromas of stonefruit, citrus, whipped butter, almond and minerals. Medium-bodied, aromas of lemon and grapefruit melded with peach, almond shavings, stony minerals and whipped butter. The creamy mouthfeel is lightweight and refined; fresh acidity carries crunchy minerals to a lengthy, layered finish" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, May 2024

Pale straw colour in the glass. Rich aromas of creamy vanilla, ripe nectarine, citrus and a slight minerality. A focused and layered Chardonnay showing notes of juicy nectarine, white peach and citrus, composing a rich and full palate. Drinking beautifully from release and will continue to mature over the next five to eight years.

Our Hatters Hill Chardonnay was predominantly hand-harvested from a careful selection of premium vineyards across the Marlborough region.

The 2022 vintage started with cool spring weather which extended the length of flowering, leading to open bunches. A long and hot growing season led to lower crop levels with increased intensity of expressive tropical characteristics. Heather and the team regularly monitor the grape quality throughout the growing season, ensuring each parcel is harvested at peak ripeness and flavour intensity for optimal winemaking.

The Chardonnay grapes were lighty pressed on arrival, and trasferred into barrels for fermentation, 12 percent new French oak. Each barrel was fermented with a selected yeast strain, and after primary fermentation the grapes went through malolactic fermentataion. Subsequently, the wine was left on lees for nine months in barrel, and regularly stirred to enhance the texture and creamy characteristics of the final wine. Heather then selected her favourite barrels for blending prior to lightly filtering and bottling.

Food Pairing: Excellently paired with a creamy feta and walnut salad.