Winemaker and winery: Ben Glover, Wither Hills Vineyards.
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay.
Region: Marlborough.
Viticulture/Vinification: Machine harvested at optimal ripeness and maturity early in the morning from 5 key vineyard sites throughout the Wairau valley. The juice was destemmed only and gently pressed off skins to tank where it was lightly settled overnight and racked. 30% of the wine saw fermentation in older French oak barriques for approximately 10months, while 70% remained in tank to retain the bright aromatics and palate intensity of the variety. The wine was then blended, fined, stabilised, and filtered ready to bottle.
Availability: 147 stores.
14.0% vol.

Unexpected nose. Clearly not, but to me it had a touch of the Hunter Valley about it. I little grunt of surprise escaped. Very interesting nose. Full, ripe and yet pithy so it doesn’t end sweetly. This is good.

23/03/10

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