Jules Taylor Marlborough Chardonnay 2023

Jules Taylor Marlborough Chardonnay 2023"Gorgeously styled and elegantly complex, the enticing bouquet shows ripe stone fruit, grapefruit, brioche and hazelnut aromas, followed by a finely flowing palate that's succulent and richly textured. Wonderfully composed and harmonious with a persistent, satisfying finish. At its best: now to 2029" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Mar 2024 Bright straw yellow. The nose is full of ripe tropical fruits and citrusy freshness, along with notes of apple crumble,

"Gorgeously styled and elegantly complex, the enticing bouquet shows ripe stone fruit, grapefruit, brioche and hazelnut aromas, followed by a finely flowing palate that's succulent and richly textured. Wonderfully composed and harmonious with a persistent, satisfying finish. At its best: now to 2029" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Mar 2024

Bright straw yellow. The nose is full of ripe tropical fruits and citrusy freshness, along with notes of apple crumble, nougat and butterscotch, all finished off with a whiff of delicious spicy oak. The palate is silky and elegant, with tropical, red apple and nectarine notes combining with spiciness and caramel. Wild ferment and barrel aging have added complexity and texture whilst retaining succulent acidity, and the f inish is long, juicy and delicious.

Growers had to be alert and agile through the early 2022-23 growing season to protect vines and avoid the disease threatened by the regular rainfall. A month or so prior to harvest many in the region were bracing themselves for a tricky harvest. And yet… As so often happens in Marlborough, Autumn weather saved the day. Marlborough dodged the tropical storms that devasted NZ’s North Island. Loose bunches kept the fruit dry and clean, and early concerns over disease did not eventuate. Healthy canopies kept the vines in good shape to ripen their grapes and develop delicious flavours in a harvest that was somewhat slower and later than usual. The condition of grapes arriving at the winery was truly fantastic. The slow ripening period had concentrated flavours which were ripe, layered and balanced by juicy acidity. Harvest went very smoothly, and Jules was able to breathe a sigh of relief, and then smile with anticipation as she tasted the wines in tank and barrel.

The fruit for this wine came from the two beautiful vineyards in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys: Meadowbank Estate in the Taylor Pass and the Anderson Vineyard in the Brancott valley. The grapes were harvested carefully by hand and machine then taken to the winery for fermentation using a variety of techniques. Whole cluster pressed portions went directly into French oak barrels for a wild ferment on high solids. Other portions were tank fermented and some were cold settled and partially tank fermented and then sent to barrels mid-ferment. The yeast lees in the barrels were stirred occasionally over a ten month period to add body and complexity, and the wine underwent full malolactic fermentation to add further complexity. After its extended nap in the barrels, the various parcels were blended, stabilised then bottled.

Food Pairing: The delicious flavours in this wine are fantastic to pair with food. It’s perfect with a simple barbequed chicken or with fresh seafood flavours such as crayfish tails and garlic butter. Alternatively it would be sensational with corn fritters stacked with a rocket (arugula) salad and a smoky salsa.