Mystery Marlborough Chardonnay 2016

Description

Pale gold colour in the glass. The bouquet presents lifted aromas of nectarine and grapefruit with a hint oyster shell. This Mystery Chardonnay showcases an elegant palate with luscious stone fruit and spice notes. Will continue to improve and reward with careful cellaring over the next five years.

The fruit for this Mystyery wine was sourced from a single vineyard on free draining, river valley soils. This block is one of the earliest vineyard sites to be harvested. The vines are Burgundian clone 95. The high pH and limestone soils impact significantly on the flavour of this wine giving it palate weight and fruit intensity. It also contributes a mineral note on the palate.

The fruit was hand-picked when it reached full physiological ripeness and maximum flavour maturity. At the winery the fruit was whole bunch pressed to ensure the best fruit flavours were preserved. After settling, the juice was inoculated with selected yeast strains. The wine was fermented in French oak barriques, a quarter of which was new oak. The wine then went through malolactic fermentation, followed by ten months ageing on yeast lees with regular stirring. The wine was then carefully blended, stabilised and prepared for bottling.

Food Pairing: Well matched with soft French goats cheese.