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Escarpment Chardonnay 2023

Citrus, jasmine, and white peach are apparent on the nose, with undertones of gunflint and spice. The palate is focused and streamlined, with notes of lemon curd and brioche, with a core of concentrated fruit built around a seam of natural acidity giving freshness. Partial malolactic fermentation and barrel maturation help to give the wine both breadth and length, along with added complexity. It is a wine that is built around elegance and restraint, offering focus and persistence but also capturing the district’s unique terroir. It will evolve in bottle over the next 5 to 7 years.

Serve as an accompaniment to soft, creamy cheeses, halibut, or rich chicken dishes. Serve at 12-13°C. 

WINEMAKERS NOTES

A cool, wet summer pushed the Chardonnay harvest out into April. While the weather presented its challenges, Chardonnay was one of the standouts of the vintage. There is a lovely restraint along with drive and texture, and the extra hang-time allowing for concentration. The fruit is 100% from the Martinborough region, primarily from the famous alluvial terrace and made from grapes grown on our own estate along with select growers. A mix of clones, which were individually whole bunch pressed and fermented in French oak puncheons using indigenous yeast, to enhance texture and complexity. After fermentation the wine was aged in barrel for 11 months with 24% new, creating a wine with white stone fruit characters and citrus, along with a flinty mineral backbone. It is a wine that is accessible in its youth but will also benefit from a few years in bottle.  


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