Winery notes (2023 Vintage)
"Like its fellow Loire grape sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc flourishes in our climate. In my youth as a winemaker, most chenin blanc was used as a high acid blending variety for cask wine. Some makers understood its strengths and treated it properly. For the few passionate chenin blanc winemakers in New Zealand, it can be a rewarding varietal and produce very serious, elegant and ageworthy wine.
The Astrolabe Wrekin Chenin Blanc is made from grapes grown on a loess clay slope. We hand pick the grapes to give a delicacy to the phenolics. The chenin blanc is partially barrel fermented with wild yeast for complexity, with the remainder in stainless steel to preserve the fruit flavours. All fruit is free-run to retain purity. I love the chenin grape because of its distinct flavour profile, the crisp acidity and the ability of the wine to age with interest and grace.
On the nose green apple and honeysuckle, with lemon honey and a little vanilla from the oak. The palate is medium-bodied, with a focused, mineral length and flavours of crisp apple, lemon and peach."
Reviews for previous vintages below…
5 Stars Michael Cooper (2021 Vintage)
"Certified organic, the vigorous 2021 vintage is a single-vineyard wine, hand-picked in the Southern Valleys and fermented in a mix of stainless steel tanks and old oak barrels. Light lemon/green, it is an attractively scented, intensely varietal wine, with vibrant, ripe, peachy flavours and a dry, finely poised finish. Well worth cellaring to 2025+."
92/100 Jane Skilton MW, Wine Magazine, December 2021 (2021 Vintage)
"A dry chenin blanc with just the merest hint of fruit sweetness. Lovely precise aromas of fresh Granny Smith apple, a little beeswax and lanolin lead on to a juicy citrus and wet-stone focused palate."
92/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, May 2023 92021 Vintage)
"Made from grapes grown on a loess clay slope and partially barrel-fermented with wild yeasts. Only free-run juice is used, to retain purity. Delicately luscious chenin blanc with quince, green apple, stone fruits. Delicious wine with power, purity, poise and the ability to age gracefully. Tangy wine in an off-dry style."
Rated Outstanding & 95/100 Cameron Douglas MS, April 2022 (2020 Vintage)
"Aromas of apples and pears, wet wool mineral and a lifted fragrant floral quality. Youthful, fine and pure. On the palate – intense, youthful, crisp and just dry. Flavours mirror the bouquet with baked apple and pear, a plush silky texture and back bone of acidity. A mineral layer adds complexity and depth to an already impressive tasting wine. Delicious, drinkable today and through 2040+."