Amber is made with an unusual technique for white wine. White grapes are fermented on skins, as one would for a red, left to macerate for the winter, then pressed the following spring. No fining, no filtering. The result is a complex and textured wine, naturally cloudy, with body, and plenty of soul.

Here's a Chardonnay with the Midas touch; it's big, it's smooth and it's creamy as anything with all the bells and delicious whistles that Chardonnay lovers enjoy. It's  made with grapes grown on the Howell's Vineyard in Hawke's Bay, a site that seems to provide the magic ingredients of deliciousness in a wide range of varietals grown on it. 

Potiki is Maori for 'last born' and is the apt and evocative name for the newest Chardonnay from Ata Rangi in Martinborough. Fleshy, full bodied and bone dry (as the best Chardonnays are), this is a stunning new wine with richness and balanced acidity adding length to every crisp and succulent sip.

Fabulous Chardonnay from Karl Johner's vineyard at Gladstone in the central Wairarapa, a cool climate which accentuates the crisp fresh acidity that balances the full bodied, creamy nuances in this lovely wine. 

Great value for money and a wine that combines creamy flavours with freshness.

TASTING NOTE

The Marlborist Chardonnay is a rich, dry elegant wine that is both intricate and textural with an enticing combination of roasted hazelnuts, brioche, citrus blossom and golden-queen peach with hints of clove spice and vanilla. This is a finely balanced wine with a creamy palate underpinned by a long, citrus finish. 

VITICULTURE

Fruit was sourced from two exceptional vineyards; The Wrekin in the Brancott Valley, a beautiful biodynamic and organic-certified hillside vineyard where clone 95 chardonnay is grown on clay loam soils and Cable Bay Vineyard in the lower Awatere Valley, where high density old Mendoza clone vines are grown on a stony, alluvial terrace. The combination of free-draining soils and naturally low yields allowed the vines to ripen small, golden bunches of intensely flavoured fruit. 

WINEMAKING

Picking commenced on March 27th at the Wrekin and finished on April 6th at Cable Bay, from where the fruit was transported directly to the winery where the grapes were gently whole-bunch pressed to a mixture of French oak barrels and puncheons (15% new). A portion was chilled overnight before pressing to oak the next morning. Spontaneous fermentation by indigenous, ‘wild’ yeast, took place at ambient temperatures, a process that took several months to complete. Occasional lees stirring and a full malolactic fermentation occurred before the wine was transferred out of oak after 15 months. Each batch was left on lees and kept separate until June when the blend was assembled and settled prior to bottling in July.

100% Chardonnay from the Catalonian region of Penedes in Spain, sandwiched between the Mediterranean and the local coastal mountains not far from Barcelona. The region is famed for its Cava production but here we see new wave wine makers Cellers Avgvstvs Forvm working with a Chardonnay and showing how modern Spanish winemaking is evolving.

Aged in French Nevers oak for 4 month and offering plenty of tropical and citrus fruit flavours and aromas.

Nga Waka was established in Martinborough in 1988 and is a family-owned winegrower producing small volumes of fine Martinborough wine from estate-grown grapes.

The Home Block Chardonnay is Nga Waka's flagship white wine. It is 100% barrel fermented and goes through 100% malolactic fermentation, remaining in barrel for 12 months with lees stirring monthly.

The wine is a pale gold colour and is rich and complex with deep, intense spicy and mineral flavours underpinned by tight-grained French oak, barrel fermentation and the malolactic component.

Beach House Wines is a family owned and run winery in Hawke's Bay, founded by winemaker Chris Harrison, who produces three outstanding Chardonnays, including The Tracks - his top wine. 

Full bodied, creamy flavours and all the bells and whistles are present and counted in this wine, which we think over delivers massively on its price. 

Prophet's Rock winemaker Paul Pujol produced precious little of this Chardonnay - just six barrels were made from hand picked grapes grown at Lowburn in Central Otago. The wine was fermented with wild yeasts and all up it received 15% new oak, with the remainder being older barrels. This wine is set to become a collector's piece, not least because it was inspired by and made in collaboration with a French winemaker. Prophet's Rock winemaker Paul Pujol and Burgundy winemaker, Francois Millet of Comptes de Vogue in Chambolle-Musigny joined forces to produce this fitting match to the outstanding Pinots from this wine brand.

A light ruby colour in the glass with gentle red berry and subtle earthy aromas on the nose. On the palate the wine is light with an elegant and refined mouthfeel and gentle red fruits flavours. Precise winemaking resulting in quality Pinot Noir.

This wine was hand harvested and whole bunch pressed followed by an extended time ageing on the lees. The wine is a rich straw gold colour, with floral aromas and apricot and orange notes on the nose. Extended lees ageing adds complex creamy, toasty qualities and nuttiness on the palate. This is supported by an underlying stony minerality and balanced acidity. This is a highly rated wine which will benefit from ageing.

It's easy to taste why this is the top white from Te Kairanga winery in Martinborough each year. Dry, smooth and complex flavours of roasted nuts, stone fruit and fresh white peach combine with citrus purity in a deeply flavoursome wine.

John Martin is named after the late founder of the Martinborough township. This wine is made mostly Mendoza clone Chardonnay grapes, grown on the winery's Home Vineyard. All grapes are whole-bunch pressed and fermented with wild yeasts with 10 months maturation in French oak puncheons, which are 500 litre barrels. This wine goes through 100% malolactic fermentation, providing structure and length to what is a complex and refined wine.

Winery

Tapiz is one of the new and successful wineries in Argentina. Our success is based on our great terroirs, our brand new equipment and technology and, above all, our strong and experienced team. Winemaker Fabian Valenzuela was joined by Jean Claude Berrouet in 2012. Jean Claude is the recently-retired winemaker of Petrus, having presided over 44 vintages at this revered Bordeaux winery. We are proud that Jean Claude chose to work with us exclusively in Argentina.

We are a 100% family business, that started 10 years ago with a clear mission:  to produce the best wines and olive oils possible, protecting the environment and preserving regional cultures.

Our terroir defines us and our products are our finest expression of this identity. We are convinced that to achieve these goals, we must produce our grapes, so that every year each segment remains its style and quality.  We have 8 vineyards in the best and most representative wine areas, Globalgap and Good Manufacturing certified, allowing us to have lines with specific characteristics of each region.

Tasting Notes

The aromas and flavors of fresh fruit such as apple, pear, and peach are amalgamated with mineral touches and orange peel. French oak adds notes of caramel and honey. It is a long-lasting wine in the mouth.

93 Points James Suckling

Technical Information

Vineyards: San Pablo Estate  

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay.

Average Vineyard Altitude: 1350 Metres 

Fermentation: Pre-fermentative cold maceration. Alcoholic Fermentation is carried out in new and second use French oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation.

Aging: 6 to 8 months of barrel.

Alcohol: 14.0% 

Michel Lafarge was one of the greatest winemakers in modern Burgundy and he forged a reputation for making outstanding quality wines from Volnay and Meursault, such as this full bodied, smoothly creamy expression of Chardonnay from its golden heartland in the Cotes d'Or. 

Lafarge passed away in January 2020 at the age of 91. His passing was marked by an outpouring of respect from all over the wine world. The domaine, now run by his son Frédéric and granddaughter Clothilde, is rightly hailed as one of the finest estates in Volnay. The domaine is farmed biodynamically, using eco-friendly resources including a band of travelling chickens to eat vineyard pests and a horse to plough between their 10 hectares of vines. The vineyards are planted on some of the best sites in Volnay and Beaune and their winemaking is sensitive but traditional, with just a small amount of new oak used to allow the wines’ finesse to shine through. The result is some of the finest-made and longest-lived wines in Burg

Today, Michel Lafarge’ son, Fréderic, runs the around 10 hectares of vines and own some of the very best sites in Volnay. The domaine is run very much by instinct and respect for the terroir, with no sense of imposition and with biodynamic techniques. 

Tasting Note

Citrus blossom, elderflower and wet stones set the scene for this subtle yet beguiling Chardonnay. Comfortable, at ease with itself, not a single component vying for attention; just the Felton Road style at the fore. Deeply fruited with hazelnut notes through the mid, combined with characteristic fresh acidity, leads to a harmonious and sustained finish. A seamless Bannockburn blend from our Calvert, Cornish Point and The Elms vineyards.

Introduction

Commencing with meticulous site selection and vineyard design in 1991, Felton Road's story is one of refusal to compromise. A strict 100% estate policy with fully organic and biodynamic viticulture (BioGro and Demeter certified) ensures that our fruit arrives at the winery as pure as it can be, while our entire estate comes as close to true sustainability as is possible. The winery is also B Corp certified and a proud member of IWCA (International Wineries for Climate Action). A commitment to hands off winemaking: gravity flow, wild yeasts, wild malo, an avoidance of fining and filtration all help preserve the wine's expression of its terroir. The result is Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir which accurately express the authenticity and complexity of our unique vineyards. 

Gareth King; Viticulturist, Blair Walter; Winemaker, Nigel Greening; Vigneron. 

Vineyard & Viticulture

Felton Road farms four properties totalling 34 ha in the Bannockburn subregion of Central Otago. Chardonnay is mostly grown on the Elms vineyard in Blocks 2, 6, 8 & 9, with approximately 10% coming from each of Cornish Point and Calvert vineyards. There are a range of altitudes and aspects, with the soils mostly deep schist gravels. Meticulous summer management of a single vertical shoot positioned (VSP) canopy ensures even and early fruit maturity. Shoot thinning, shoot positioning, leaf plucking, bunch thinning and harvest are all carried out by hand to ensure optimum quality fruit. Cover crops are planted between rows to assist in vine balance and to improve soil health and general biodiversity.

Vintage

After a wet September, spring commenced with good soil moisture and bud burst occurred at the normal time of early October. Temperatures hovered around average with December being warm and dry, enabling a successful flowering and fruit set. The dry conditions prevailed throughout January and February limiting berry size and setting the scene for fruit with elevated phenolic material and complexity. Judicious use of irrigation was required to maintain sufficient vine health throughout this sustained dry period. Temperatures never spiked and hovered around average enabling a slow and steady path to maturity. A distinctive feature of March 2024 was the cool night temperatures preserving acidity, freshness and precision of fruit character. Chardonnay was harvested from 18-27 March.

Vinification  Various clones of Chardonnay (Mendoza, B95, 548) were carefully hand harvested from Cornish Point, Calvert and The Elms vineyards.  The grapes were whole bunch pressed with the juice flowing to barrel by gravity after overnight settling.  Fermentation in French oak (mostly well-seasoned barrels with just 5% new) with indigenous yeasts has produced a wine with considerable complexity. A long and complete indigenous malolactic fermentation with only periodic stirring of the lees (Batonnage), combined with 11 months on full lees; has softened the acid for a rich and complex mouthfeel.  In accordance with our non-interventionalist approach to winemaking, this wine was not fined or filtered after spending 13 months total in barrel.