Man O' War Valhalla Waiheke Island Chardonnay 2024

Description

Grapefruit, Oak, Smoke

The 2024 Valhalla Chardonnay is a striking expression of coastal Waiheke complex, focused, coastal. The nose is tight and flinty, offering layers of struck match, white grapefruit, lemon pith, and crushed seashell. Subtle hints of orchard blossom and grilled peach sit beneath, wrapped in a cool, maritime lift. On the palate, Valhalla is razor-sharp and direct, driven by citrus and green stone fruit over a firm spine of acidity. The lack of malolactic fermentation preserves clarity and tension, while the absence of lees work ensures a lean, chiselled texture. Oak provides quiet structure and nuance a frame rather than a flavour. Long, saline, and refreshingly austere, the 2024 Valhalla is a cerebral Chardonnay precise, elemental, and unmistakably site-driven.

Fruit for the 2024 Valhalla Chardonnay was hand-picked from coastal and elevated blocks across our estate Waiheke vineyards with harvest dates selected to retain freshness, acidity, and a mineral edge as much as working through the flavour ripeness spectrum.

Crushed to press and transferred directly to French oak puncheons (approximately 25% new), the juice was allowed to ferment naturally with indigenous yeasts. Fermentation proceeded hot and fast, encouraging a savoury aromatic complexity and palate weight.

We aim for no malolactic fermentation and no lees stirring was performed, preserving linearity, drive, and a taut textural line. The wine remained in barrel for 11 months before being bottled.

This minimalist approach results in a Chardonnay of character as intrigue with a savoury overlay across a taunt linear palate structure.