Tohu Nelson Chardonnay 2023

Description

Apple, Nougat, Oak

"Elegant and restrained, the wine shows crunchy apple, nectarine, lemon peel and nougat notes on the nose, leading to a finely expressed palate offering succulent fruit flavours with supple texture and juicy acidity. Beautifully rounded and easy to enjoy. At its best: now to 2027" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jun 2024

This Nelson Chardonnay displays vibrant aromas of citrus zest, ripe stonefruit and subtle hints of warm, spicy French oak. On the palate flavours of white peach, juicy grapefruit and notes of toasted nut take this medium bodied and elegantly textured wine to a lusciously long and persistent finish.

The grapes for this wine are sourced from vineyards located in both the Waimea Plains and the Coastal Tasman subregions of Nelson. The stony Waimea Plains are characterised by free-draining alluvial soils and high sunshine hours, resulting in expressive and vibrant wines; while the moderating maritime influence on the Coastal Tasman area produces wines with complexity and elegance. The 2022/2023 growing season saw plenty of rainfall in the Nelson region, but meticulous canopy management carried out throughout the season by the vineyard teams, combined with sunny, warm days in late summer allowed for perfect ripening conditions and balanced, concentrated fruit at harvest.

Premium parcels of Chardonnay grapes were transported to the winery where they were gently pressed using a modern membrane press. After pressing the resulting juice was moved into stainless steel tanks for fermentation with purposely selected yeasts. After the primary yeast fermentation was completed the wine underwent secondary malolactic fermentation on yeast lees and with seasoned French oak, allowing richness and weight to develop before being readied for bottle at the end of March 2024.