MATAWHERO CHURCH HOUSE BARREL FERMENTED CHARDONNAY 2024

The Matawhero journey started with two New Zealand wine pioneers from the 1960s, Bill and son Denis Irwin. Today the story continues around the drive and determination of Kirsten and Richard Searle, who have continued to develop the iconic winery and share the distinctive wine styles of the Gisborne region.

This is from one of Gisborne's iconic vineyards, Tietjen, and has all the richness and fullsomeness that Gisborne Chardonnay can deliver.

Winery notes (2024 Vintage)
"Ripe peach and melon aromas layered with butterscotch and toasty oak notes. The palate is big, rich and full with great length and weight.

The grapes for this elegant Gisborne Chardonnay are grown from two select parcels from the Tietjen vineyard in the Hexton Hills or "Golden Slopes" appellation of Gisborne. This narrow 10km strip is made up of small parcels of elevated sloping land. Medium to heavy Kaiti clay base is overlaid with 20-30cm of light black topsoil, with influences from the limestone foothills. The site has had a rich history in producing award-winning Chardonnay for over 20 years and the wine is made from the Mendoza clone of Chardonnay. The vines achieved good ripeness and with low yields came excellent flavours and weight to the fruit.

Harvested in the cool of the morning, the fruit for this wine reached good ripeness even after a cooler season with some challenging conditions. A portion of the grapes were hand harvested and some machine harvested. With the machine harvested grapes, the juice was cool fermented in tanks till dry and then underwent full malolactic fermentation and spent 4 months on lees. The hand-picked fruit was gently pressed and fermented in a combination of American and European barrels. The barrels selected here are from the parcels we don’t deem quite good enough to make our Irwin "flagship" Chardonnay but are still of exceptional quality to even be considered! The wine also undergoes full malolactic fermentation. The tank portion also spends time on lees in the barrels before the final blending. The wine is then stabilized, filtered and bottled."

5 Stars & 95/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, March 2025 (2024 Vintage)
"Gorgeously styled and seductively appealing, the wine shows mango, golden peach, hazelnut, and French vanilla aromas on the nose, leading to a concentrated palate offering terrific weight and depth. Wonderfully harmonious and structured with a sustained, satisfying finish. At its best: now to 2032."

Rated Excellent & 94/100 Cameron Douglas MS, March 2025 (2024 Vintage)
"Classic bouquet of toasty barrel and baked stone fruits, nut and kitchen spices, a silty clay soil quality and harmonious inviting frame. Full-bodied, firm and dry with flavours and textures of stone fruits and peaches, cashew nut and brazil-nut butter, pear and roasted apple. Bold and expressive, well made and ready to drink from day of purchase 2031."