Chardonnay 2015

Sourced from their clay-rich vineyards in the center of the Omaka Valley , the vines benefit from high sunlight and minimal rainfall and are grown using organic and biodynamic principles. The grapes are harvested by hand and only the clean bunches are picked. The fruits are delicately pressed into whole clusters. The juice is separated into several batches. A first part macerates cold for 24 hours then transferred to French oak barrels with its fine lees. The other part remains in stainless steel tanks. All these batches ferment patiently in their containers using native yeasts . After 10 months on lees , the batches are assembled and filtered before bottling. Of the portion of wine spent in oak barrels, the final blend includes 5% new oak and 95% barrels from 2nd, 3rd and 4th use. Very balanced and elegant, the wine presents complex aromas of white flowers , white peach , nectarine , pear , lemon peel , grapefruit , green apple , flint , toasted almond as well as fine notes pastry and woody. The acidity is firm and linear, providing the backbone to the roundness of the wine and extending into a long, fragrant finish. It is a wine that is both structured and complex, yet delicate and graceful.

Introduced in 1819, the cultivation of vines was greatly developed by Jean-Baptiste Pompallier, a French Marist missionary. Sent to Oceania in 1837, he settled in January 1838 to develop the New Zealand vineyards. The first quality vineyards were established in the Hawke's Bay region in the 19th and early 20th centuries. After the production hazards first due to Phylloxera and then to the First World War, this vineyard began to expand again during the Second World War when its surface area doubled. Today, New Zealand has 10 major wine regions spread between the North and South Islands, the largest of which is Marlborough. Most of New Zealand's wine regions have a maritime climate. The long, thin shape of the country means that vineyards are never more than 120km from the coast and most are even much closer than that (with the exception of the semi-continental region of Central Otago). A spine of mountains running through the center of the country protects most of the major wine regions from the strong westerly winds from the Tasman Sea known as the "Roaring Forties". Due to these winds, there are few wine growing regions on the west coast of New Zealand. The quality and reputation of New Zealand wines is well established. Indeed, this country produces some of the best and most recognized Sauvignon Blanc in the world. And it is no coincidence that New Zealand has succeeded in making Sauvignon blanc its symbol, just like its sheep, its kiwi and its legendary haka!