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Buy OnlineTrophy for Champion Chardonnay – New Zealand International Wine Show 2024
Double Gold Medal – New Zealand International Wine Show 2024
This is a new addition to the Rapaura Springs lineup and is already turning heads. Not only has the Rohe range been given a snazzy facelift, with very striking gold labels, it has very fittingly gone on to not only win a double gold medal at the 2024 NZIWS but also crowned overall Champion Chardonnay.
Conveyor of the NZIWS, Kingsley Wood, takes his chardonnay very seriously and has said about this year's show… "Chardonnay was another standout class with the judges very impressed with the overall standard, awarding 8 Double Gold and 21 Gold medals."
To take out Champion Chardonnay of the show, the wine has to be very, very good.
The wine is made to a very high-level using hand harvested fruit fermented with wild yeasts in French Oak before being aged for 10 months in 39% new oak. The review from the NZIWS judges sums the wine up nicely…
NZIWS Judges' Comments (2023 Vintage)
"Pale gold in the glass with juicy golden peaches, creamy oak and a touch of vanilla. The finish is long and lingering with a delectable note of caramel and spice. An eyecatching new label in the Rapaura Springs family."
Winery notes (2023 Vintage)
"The soils of the Southern Valleys subregion naturally restrict vine vigour. This sub-region sits inland, away from the Marlborough coast, with cool evening temperatures during the critical ripening period, preserving acidity and extending ripening for Chardonnay.
Expressive citrus and stone fruit aromas such as melon, ripe peach and nectarine complement grapefruit, vanilla and brioche flavours on the palate. These flavours are framed with a flinty complexity and core of juicy acidity. This wine is immediately enjoyable but will continue to drink well for the next eight years.
The grapes for this wine were hand harvested from vineyards located in the Omaka Valley. The fruit was gently pressed in small presses, then transferred to French Oak for fermentation using natural yeasts. Once the barrels were dry a secondary fermentation converted the malic acid into softer lactic acid. The wine was aged for ten months in barrel. A total of 39% new oak was selected to complement the fruit flavour."
