Seabed Chardonnay 2018 6x75cl

• 75cl bottle

This is an elegant, complex and creamy textured Chardonnay which vividly displays the complexities of this great vineyard site. Flavours of white peach, grapefruit, flint and nuts are to the fore with a long mineral finish. Naturally made, with a 'hands-off' approach it is both food friendly and age-worthy and expresses the land in which it was grown. Further complexity has been added with subtle oak and lees from long term barrel ageing. Suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets as the wine was bottled without finings.

Vineyards

Planted in 2001 with Burgundy clone 95, this vineyard produces powerful wine with underlying acidity and white peach notes. The vineyard is dry farmed and intensively managed with low yields to maximise the quality of fruit from the site.

Vintage

The season began with a warm spring, soils charged after a wet autumn and winter. Unusually there were no frosts through the winter and vines were well set up for the season. Spring was warm and the growing season through December and January was drier than usual with January receiving just 30% of its usual rainfall. Things were less settled in February and March when remnants of tropical cyclones found their way south to New Zealand bringing unwanted rain. Jusdicious picking decisions saved the day. A story of an autumn attempting to steal the glory from another glorious summer. In fact the 2018 growing season was the third hottest recorded and as I noted last year “you can taste the summer in the wines”.

Winemaking

The fruit was hand-picked and whole cluster pressed after overnight chilling. Only low juice yields were taken and run directly to barrel for fermentation with wild yeasts. Post fermentation some of the barrels (40% new) were allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation to lower acidity and add complexity to the finished wine. The wine underwent extended barrel ageing with occasional lees stirring, before blending and bottling without fining in July 2019.

Enjoy with:

• Grilled and Roasted White Meats
• Fish/Shellfish
• Pizza/Pasta
• Mild Creamy Cheeses

Delicious with roasted spatchcock chicken.