BLACK ESTATE HOME CHARDONNAY 2023

Black Estate winemaker Nicholas Brown has been awarded 2022 NZ Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine

Winery notes (2023 Vintage)
"Home Chardonnay 2023 is now a combination of both younger and older blocks at Home vineyard. We have seen the young vines block express more character of the Home site over the last few years as the vines roots grow deeper so we decided it was time to combine the block with half of the older block.  Characteristics of suppleness, some weight and a saline texture, with lively cool climate acidity are hallmarks of this vineyard.

Pale straw/white gold hue. Fresh, delicate aromas of wild strawberry, melon, nectarine, and straw. The palate is full bodied, concentrated and textural with white peach, yuzu, and honey with vibrant saline characters. This is an unfiltered wine with small amounts of sediment. Please allow the bottle to stand and settle before pouring. Decanting will allow maximum expression of aroma and purity of fruit to emerge. Drink now to 2030.

Hand harvested grapes were whole bunch pressed over a 4 hour press cycle. The pressed juice was settled for 24 hours and then transferred to seasoned 500L barrels made from tight grained French oak. 21 percent were new. No additions were made to the juice except vineyard derived yeast propagated from a vineyard starter from the Home vineyard The wine matured on fermentation lees and then went through full Malo-lactic fermentation in early spring. The wine was blended to tank after 8 months in barrel, allowed to settle for one month and then bottled without fining or filtration. 40 ppm of sulphur dioxide (sulphites) was added."

Rated Excellent & 94/100 Cameron Douglas MS, June 2024 (2023 Vintage)
"Varietal, ripe, pure and youthful bouquet, aromas of peaches and creme fresh, apples and grapefruit, a core mineral presence with sea-shell and stone suggestions, then white flowers. Medium+ weighted and youthful with a bright acidity and fresh fruit drive. Flavours of mineral and stone fruits, apples and citrus all fold back into the flavour profile. Fine tannins and a natural les texture adds to the complexity and finish. A delicious example with best drinking from late 2025 through 2032+."