Mills Reef Bespoke Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2020

Mills Reef Bespoke Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2020French oak White stonefruit Creamy butterscotch Spiced finish "This is beautifully fruited and fragrant on the nose showing golden peach, French vanilla and cedar characters with a touch of butterscotch. The succulent palate delivers terrific fruit richness combined with plump mouthfeel and creamy texture, making it delectable and highly enjoyable" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jul 2021 "An enticing bouquet with a quiet charm and elegance. Aromas of white

• French oak
• White stonefruit
• Creamy butterscotch
• Spiced finish

"This is beautifully fruited and fragrant on the nose showing golden peach, French vanilla and cedar characters with a touch of butterscotch. The succulent palate delivers terrific fruit richness combined with plump mouthfeel and creamy texture, making it delectable and highly enjoyable" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jul 2021

"An enticing bouquet with a quiet charm and elegance. Aromas of white peach and apple, brazil nut and vanilla, moderate toasty barrel scents, raw sugar and burnt butter moments. Dry with weight, spice, creamy texture, a core of yellow fleshed stone fruits and crushed nut flavours. Moderate acidity and warming alcohol. A balanced, well made wine, ready to drink from purchase and through 2025" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Jul 2021

This sumptuously soft and opulent Chardonnay from one of their premium vineyards in Hawke’s Bay is simply a delight. Beautifully balanced toasty French oak envelops the white stonefruit and creamy butterscotch notes. Bold flavours and silky smooth texture, lead into an alluring hint of aniseed and ginger spice that lingers on the finish.

The grapes for this classical variety were sourced from one of their premium vineyards in the Hawke’s Bay region: the low vigour free-draining alluvial loams of the Ohiti wine growing district.

Harvesting of the chardonnay grapes was on the 18th of March with optimum ripeness, condition, and flavor profile.

After a gentle pressing the juice was left to naturally settle over 24 hours. A selected yeast was for used for inoculation with fermentation happening with 50% new French oak, and 100% undergoing malolactic fermentation to achieve an integrated buttery texture. Thereafter the wine spent ten months on yeast lees with frequent stirring for enhanced complexity. The final wine was lightly fined, then rested for a month before bottling under screwcap on the 23rd of February 2021.