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Buy OnlineWinery notes (2020 Vintage)
"The Farm vineyard is our home block, and the chardonnay here holds particular significance to me because the first wine I made under the name Astrolabe was a chardonnay from this site. I sought out fruit from a wider representation of Marlborough terroir, and this original wine ultimately became my classic Province Marlborough Chardonnay. Over twenty years later, this new release The Farm Chardonnay celebrates the unique character of my vineyard.
The Farm is dry farmed and certified organic. These are the oldest vines we make wine from at Astrolabe. These vines are low cropping, which, combined with dry farming on rich loam soils, provides an excellent concentration of fruit. These chardonnay rows are made up of diverse collection of clones (Mendoza, 15, 2/22 and 6), providing a spread of ripening and harvest dates and a flavour variation throughout the clonal mix.
Hand-picked fruit was whole-cluster pressed, with only the cuvée juice used for this wine. Delicately extracted juice with high retained solids was allowed to undergo spontaneous barrel fermentation, led by the vineyard yeast. Full malolactic conversion occurred as the wine aged for ten months in French oak puncheons. The final wine was selected from three different puncheons of different ages.
Aromas of stonefruit and pineapple with a hint of nutmeg and floral notes of chamomile and jasmine. A delicate and mineral palate with flavours of lemon peel, dried papaya and beeswax."
Rated Outstanding & 96/100 Cameron Douglas MS, April 2022 (2020 Vintage)
"A very alluring bouquet with layers of white fleshed fruits and sweet citrus, a distinctive flinty mineral quality, fragrant spices, farmers market flowers and a fine leesy complexity. Absolutely fantastic on the palate with flavours that are delicious, seamless and complex. Mouthwatering acidity and fine wood tannins deliver a fine mouthfeel with a core of fruit and flavour. The mineral quality is consistent and adds complexity as well as length. Oak is judiciously used adding just enough complexity an structure. An excellent example that is good to drink from today, but will be even better form 2023 through 2030+."
5 Stars & 95/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, May 2022 (2020 Vintage)
"Astrolabe is well known for its super-stylish sauvignon blanc but this characterful chardonnay shows that this family-owned producer is multi-talented. From organic, dry-farmed vines. Selected from the best of three puncheons. It’s a rich, flavoursome chardonnay with a nice blend of fruit (peach, apple) and savoury (nutty yeast lees, spicy oak and oyster-shell) flavours."
4 ½ Stars Michael Cooper, July 2022 (2020 Vintage)
"The 2020 vintage was estate-grown at Astrolabe Farm, at Grovetown, in the lower Wairau Valley, hand-harvested and fermented and matured for 10 months in French oak puncheons and barriques. Full, bright lemon/green, with smoky, gunflint aromas, it is full-bodied, with rich, well-ripened stonefruit flavours, generous and complex, gentle acidity and a dry, well-rounded finish. Drink now or cellar."
