Paritua Willow Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2023

Description

Floral, Grapefruit, Oak

"Fruity, varietal and enticing bouquet of fresh stone fruits, lemon and apple. There’s some floral grapefruit qualities and layers of barrel spice with a whisper of gun-flint. Dry, satin-textured and youthful with a gentle palate squeeze from acidity and fine tannins. Fruit flavours mirror the bouquet led by stone fruits then citrus. Medium+ weight, well made and ready to drink from end of 2024 through 2028+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Mar 2024

Ripe stone fruit aromas of peach and nectarine, with notes of Rock melon, peach, toasted almonds, a hint of clove adds to the complexity 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 Crème Brulee and vanilla, navel oranges, balanced with fine oak and lingering grapefruit citrus finish. This Chardonnay is drinking well now but will continue to develop to 2034.

Grapes for the Paritua 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 cool room 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 after ferment, and the wine remains sur lee until final blending. About 50% underwent malo-lactic fermentation with total time in barrel of 12 months.

Food Pairing: Roast Pumpkin Risotto. Pork Terrine. Softshell Crab.