Dog Point Marlborough Chardonnay 2018

Description

• Oaked
• Citrus & nutty notes
• Gunflint & smoke
• Creamy mouthfeel

"Alluring scents of ripe citrus and apple, peach, quince and a touch of golden kiwifruit followed by spices and mild toasty barrel layers, vanilla and raw sugar then a gun-flint soil complexity. On the palate - youthful and vibrant with layers of barrel spice and wood underpinning flavours of stone fruit and citrus reflecting the bouquet. Fine wood tannins, medium+ acidity, knocking on the door of full-bodied and a satin texture showcases both this wines deliciousness now, potential for cellaring and readiness for food. Well made, youthful and best cellared for a while longer with best drinking from late 2021 through 2029+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier

Pale straw in colour in the glass. Gunflint, smoke and gravelly tones sit alongside the citrus core of fruit flavours. The extended barrel ageing of 18 months shows with nutty flavours and creamy texture. The hallmarks of Dog Point Chardonnay are ever present here with pure saline and crisp palate structure. This vintage will have the ability to age well. Drink now or cellar seven to ten years.

Sourced from Marlborough home vineyards on hill slopes and surrounding foothills. 4.5 tonnes/hectare. Some plantings dating back to 1981. 75% Mendoza, 25% Clone 95. Clay and silt/clay loams.

A mild Spring free of frost alerts, resulted in an extremely good budburst with nice even growth across all varieties. Above average early/mid-summer temperatures with generally settled weather ensured an excellent flowering and fruit set, with January the warmest in over 60 years of statistical records. This led to one of the teams earliest harvests, however the month also produced another climatic record with by far the highest rainfall recorded for February, necessitating additional canopy management, under vine weeding and inter row mowing. Low cropping with good open canopies allowed sunlight and wind penetration to do their job, which certainly won the day in a testing, but rewarding vintage.

Hand picked and gently pressed straight to barrel (10% new) for eighteen months. No juice clarification with 100% wild primary and secondary fermentations. Bottled without fining and with only minimal filtration.