Muddy Waters Sans Waipara Chardonnay 2021

Description

• Oaked
• Fruity
• Earthy
• Mineral

Vibrant and fresh with lovely fruit ripeness. A complex entry and an earthy undertone help to bring layers to this balanced Chardonnay. A mineral line contributes both length and site specific characters we expect of our 30 year old ungrafted vines.

The season started off with a devastating frost in October which lowered our yield dramatically. The old ungrafted vines here at Muddy Water flowered well and produced small and concentrated bunches of clean fruit. Leaf plucking helped ripen the skin phenolics and bring a crunchiness and tropical flavour with good acidity. Summer finished warm and dry and brought us lovely clean fruit so we could handle them with a light touch.

Hand picked and whole bunch pressed before a natural settle in tank overnight. After 24 hours settling the new juice was racked carefully to used puncheons for a long wild fermentation and full natural MLF. Oak maturation lasted 6 months before blending and estate bottling. This Chardonnay was made without the use of any additives. No sulphur added and natural levels below lab testing detection threshold ( less than 10 parts per million).