Muddy Water Waipara Chardonnay 2018

Muddy Water Waipara Chardonnay 2018French oak Ripe pear Toasted caramel Long fresh acidity "Aromas and flavours of brazil nut butter and baked peach, vanilla pod and raw brown sugar, mineral then toasty oak moments. Overall young, fresh, vibrant and enticing. At the heart of this wine on the palate are the textures from lees and mealy mineral and fruit tannins. Fruit flavours and woody moments return all leading into a lengthy, vibrant and youthful finish. Well made and likely ready

• French oak
• Ripe pear
• Toasted caramel
• Long fresh acidity

"Aromas and flavours of brazil nut butter and baked peach, vanilla pod and raw brown sugar, mineral then toasty oak moments. Overall young, fresh, vibrant and enticing. At the heart of this wine on  the palate are the textures from lees and mealy mineral and fruit tannins. Fruit flavours and woody moments return - all leading into a lengthy, vibrant and youthful finish. Well made and likely ready from late 2021 through 2026" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Aug 2020

"Bright, medium yellow with a golden-green hue, even colour throughout. The nose is clean and coy, with aromas of tree fruit, apple, pears, subtle nutty notes reminiscent of raw almonds and baking spices. Medium-bodied, sweet tree fruit melded with a subtle scent of citrus peel; soft acidity rounded with creamy whipped butter, broaden the mouthfeel by the spiciness of nutmeg, cinnamon and note of raw almonds. Dry finish precision with a silken phenolic texture. This is an elegant Chardonnay presenting aromas of tree fruit, citrus peel, raw almonds and baking spices, with a fine-textured phenolic line, and a creamy underlay and poise mouthfeel. Drink over the next 3-5 years with meaty white fish and poultry. 80% of the juice is settled overnight and fermented in French oak puncheons, the balance 20% fermented with full solids, to 13.5% alc. Full MLF, aged in puncheons on lees for 11 months, no fining. Vegan friendly. BioGro Organic certified" Raymond Chan, Wine Reviews, Jun 2020

Straw in colour with flecks of gold. A complex nose of ripe pear, almonds and nutmeg revealing more layers over time. A palate with weight and texture highlighted by toasted caramel, grainy phenolics and long fresh acidity.

They slowly pressed and fermented each of their small sub-blocks of Chardonnay separately to capture the best of each of their clones. 80% of their Chardonnay was settled overnight before a natural fermentation in fine grained French oak puncheons, while the remaining 20% was fermented without settling, incorporating full solid. All of their batches went through full natural Malo-lactic fermentation in puncheon and ageing on full yeast lees for 11 months. The estate bottle without fining. Vegan.

Organically grown on deep, fine textured Awapuni clay soils. Five clones were planted in 1993 and remain on their own roots. Vines are now of an age where they self-regulate low crop loads, leading to intensely flavoured berries. A long, warm ripening period produced ripe skins and seeds, and small, clean, super concetrated berries with rich phenolics. Individual rows were handpicked during cool autumn mornings.