If you had to name one of the world's most popular white wines on Earth today, big bodied Chardonnay would be the first thing to spring to mind but where do you find it in a world of increasingly diverse Chardonnays?

A tasting in Wellington on Thursday 15 November at Regional Wines is one place to start - we will open four top shelf Chardonnays, all big bodied beauties made from one vineyard in Marlborough - Clayvin.

Big bodied Chardonnays

2015 Fuder Clayvin Chardonnay 

2012 Fuder Clayvin Chardonnay

2016 Fromm Clayvin Vineyard Chardonnay

2009 Fromm Clayvin Vineyard Chardonnay

The Clayvin Vineyard's long, sunny days take Chardonnay to new heights of ripeness in Marlborough - New Zealand's biggest wine region.

About Clayvin Vineyard

Clayvin was the first vineyard ever to be planted on a hillside in Marlborough back in 1991.

It is in an area of Marlborough called the Southern Valleys, which is a series of rolling hillsides that face north, which helps to maximise the sunshine hours that grapes receive. This means that grapes growing here tend to ripen more evenly and develop lots of tasty stonefruit types of flavours on the ripening journey. The hot days need to be balanced. Enter cool nights. These enable grapes growing here to retain their fresh vibrant acidity, which balances the bold and powerful fruit flavours deliciously well.

And don't just take our word for it.

In two weeks' time, we have two of Marlborough's most talented winemakers winging their way to Wellington for a tasting of these big bodied Chardonnays (with some top reds thrown in for good measure too).

Taste big bodied Chardonnays

Winemakers Hätsch Kalberer of Fromm and Nikolai St George of  Giesen will take us on a tasting tour in our wine glasses with a great line up of wines made from these dramatic hillside vineyards in Marlborough's southern valleys.

The whole tasting

2015 Fuder Clayvin Chardonnay 

2012 Fuder Clayvin Chardonnay

2016 Fromm Clayvin Vineyard Chardonnay

2009 Fromm Clayvin Vineyard Chardonnay

2014 Giesen Single Vineyard Clayvin Pinot Noir

2011 Giesen Single Vineyard Clayvin Pinot Noir

2016 Fromm Clayvin Vineyard Pinot Noir

2006 Fromm Clayvin Vineyard Pinot Noir

2016 Giesen Single Vineyard Clayvin Syrah  

Bookings are essential...

Book here: email John online@regionalwines.co.nz