Paritua Willow Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2022

Description

• Fine oak
• Peach & nectarine
• Baked brioche
• Citrus finish

"Wonderfully styled and gorgeously elegant with ripe stone fruit, fig, vanilla, roasted cashew and brioche characters. The palate delivers excellent weight and fleshy texture, wonderfully complemented by plush mouthfeel and beautifully infused acidity. Generous and harmonious with lovely refinement" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Mar 2023

"An enticing and familiar bouquet with fresh white peach and apple scents layered between nut and toasty barrel aromas. Youthful, vibrant and complex. A satin cream texture as the wine touches the palate then  burst of energy from acidity and barrel tannins followed by fruit flavours that relflect the bouquet. Plush and new, will age well with best drinking from 2024 through 2029+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Feb 2023

"Smooth-textured chardonnay with a pleasing purity and ethereal character. Grapefruit, lime, nectarine, bran biscuit and cashew-nut flavours are supported by refreshing acidity" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review, Mar 2023

"Bright, pale straw yellow, even colour throughout. The nose is softly poised with aromas of flint, stonefruit, citrus zest, almond and delicate spice. Medium-bodied, aromas of grapefruit and zest intermixed with young apricot, almond, vanilla and cardamon. The mouthfeel is smooth with a buoyant, creamy mouthfeel; fine acidity carries zest and spice to linearity. This Chardonnay possesses a poised, creamy mouthfeel with delicate spice and a zesty core" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, Apr 2023

Ripe stone fruit aromas of peach and necatarine, with notes of ripe mandarin freshly baked brioche, nougat, vanilla and a hint of clove, add to the complexity and interest on the nose. A silky attack with sweet fruit flavours of peach nectarine and clove in the rich textural mid palate and with hints of nougat and vanilla balanced with fine oak and lingering grapefruit citrus finish.

Grapes for the Paritua Willow Chardonnay were sourced from our Paritua Vineyard block, adjacent to the winery. Selected rows of clone 15 were hand leaf plucked and bunch thinned and harvested by hand.

Trays with whole bunches are placed in the winery coolroom for overnight chilling. A long slow gentle press cycle is used and pressing can take up to 3 hours. Free run juice is put straight to barrel for fermentation. The wines are lees stirred regularly after ferment, and the wine remains sur lee until final blending. 100% malo-lactic fermentation, and total time in barrel was approximately 11 months.