Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2017

Description

Pale gold colour in the glass. The bouquet is perfumed with fragrant peach, toasted spice and subtle vanilla notes. The palate is concentrated, elegant and silky with fresh peach, ripe grapefruit and biscuit notes.

The fruit was lightly whole bunch pressed and the juice fermented in American oak barrels, fifty per cent of which were new, using selected yeast strains. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation, followed by ten months aging on yeast lees with regular stirring. Only the very best barrels were selected for the Omaka Reserve Chardonnay.

Sourced primarily from Saint Clair’s vineyards in Marlborough’s Omaka valley where a combination of warm days, cool nights and clay based soils contribute to greater retention of fruit flavours. The fruit is a blend of Chardonnay clones, predominantly Mendoza and Burgundian Clone 95. The vines were monitored carefully during ripening and hand harvested at optimum flavour maturity and physiological ripeness. Drinking beautifully now, this wine will continue to evolve and reward over the next five to ten years with careful cellaring.

Food Pairing: This is Saint Clair’s owners Neal and Judy Ibbotson’s perfect wine to have alongside roast chicken.