Man O' War Valhalla Waiheke Island Chardonnay 2021

Description

• Spicy oak
• Tropical fruit
• Smoky & nutty
• Mouth-filling

"Rich, almost luscious wine with tropical fruits, peach, oyster shell and spicy oak flavours. Mouth-filling Chardonnay with warming alcohol. Generously proportioned, with appealing complexity" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review, Jul 2023

A classic Valhalla Chardonnay, the 2021 has a rich golden hue with masses of smoky, nutty, and savoury aromas balanced with citrus and stone fruits. The palate is equally rich and ripe with great palate depth balanced with vibrant citrus notes and a maritime freshness. The tannins are structured to complement the acid profile providing a salivating appeal designed to freshen the palate and allow the drinker to delve further into the bottle… Drink now or enjoy for a decade.

The 2021 Valhalla Chardonnay is hand picked off our steep dry farmed vineyards ranging from sheltered south facing clay hillsides to elevated and exposed volcanic sites. All our Chardonnay parcels are hand harvested and bunch sorted in the winery before being macerated prior to pressing. Un-fined and with the solids mixed, the juice undergoes a spontaneous fermentation. The fermenting juice is then transferred to large format barrels for fermentation which is hot hard and fast peaking at about 32 degrees. The wines are left on gross lees in puncheon until Spring and are then sulphured to prevent Malolactic fermentation. After 11 months the wine is racked once to the blend.