Theory & Practice Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2017

Description

"It is instantly appealing on the nose showing grilled peach, toasted hazelnut, nougat and vanilla characters with subtle brioche complexity. The palate is succulent and wonderfully weighted, displaying plush mouthfeel and creamy texture, leading to a persistent silky finish. The wine is flavoursome and satisfying with plenty of ripe fruit and elegant oak flavours. At its best: now to 2020" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, May 2018

"Bright, light golden-yellow colour with some depth, a little lighter on the rim. The nose is softly full with good depth and concentration of ripe yellow stonefruits and citrus fruits with notes of tropical fruits, harmoniously entwined with creamy barrel-ferment and nutty oak, melded with some buttery MLF notes. Medium-bodied, the palate is rounded and rich with integrated flavours of ripe yellow stonefruits and tropical fruits, subtle citrus fruit elements, along with creamy and nutty oak, alongside buttery MLF. The mouthfeel is smooth and seamless, and the wine flows easily, opening to fill the palate and carrying to a rich, plush and flavoursome finish. This is a rich and plush Chardonnay with stonefruit and tropical fruit melded with creamy and nutty oak on a seamlessly smooth-flowing palate. Match with roasted poultry and pork over the next 4+ years. Mendoza, and clones 15, 95 and 809 from the ‘Craft Farm’, ‘Askerne’, ‘Alchemy’ and ‘Oak Estate’ vineyards, three-quarters hand-picked and WBP, barrel-fermented partially by indigenous yeasts to 13.0% alc., the wine aged 11 months in 30% new French oak, undergoing MLF" Raymond Chan, May 2018

Ripe nectarine and aromatic grapefruit notes on the nose. Toasty and savoury oak fermentation nuances along with a brioche note support the fruit and bring complexity to the wine. The palate is full bodied and rich while retaining great balance. Browned butter, toasted cashew and canned peach notes all add interest. These layers of richness come mainly from perfectly ripened grapes, sweet French oak barrels and warm fermentation temperatures. A touch of pithy texture and acidity keep this richness in check.

Three quarters of the fruit was hand-picked and whole bunch pressed, the remainder was machine-picked and tipped directly into the press. After 12 hours of settling the cloudy juice was transferred to French oak barrels-30% were new. Fermentation was undertaken with a combination of natural vineyard yeasts along with some inoculated yeasts. All barrels underwent malo-lactic fermentation. After 11 months of aging the barrels were blended and the wine bottled.

Food Pairing: Enjoy this wine with a wide range of poultry and seafood dishes.