SEA LEVEL HOME BLOCK CHARDONNAY 2021

Gold Medal – New Zealand International Wine Show 2024

From the Smail family's home block vineyard on the Moutere clay soils overlooking the Kina Peninsula in the Nelson region. Son Sam (who used to be the winemaker at Whitehaven), makes the wines in a style that many consumers want but find hard to get. Drinking beautifully now with its creamy, golden fruits and great mouthfeel, making this very appealing. This is outstanding value!

Winery notes (2021 Vintage)
"Aromas of peach and nectarine stonefruit flavours with complexing savoury, mineral notes from the wild fermentation and barrel aging on lees. A full-bodied wine, with clean acidity and a rich, textural mouthfeel. A layered array of stonefruit, oak char and mineral notes persist on the lengthy, bright finish.

The grapes were hand-picked then whole bunch pressed. After light settling, the cloudy juice underwent a spontaneous ferment with wild yeast strains from vineyard. After a few days this ferment was transferred to French oak puncheons, 25% being new. The wine was matured in barrels for 10 months, with minimal lees stirring. Some barrels went through malolactic fermentation to aid the texture and softness of the wine, before bottling in February 2022."

5 Stars & 94/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, October 2023 (2021 Vintage)
"Wonderfully composed and complex, showing white flesh nectarine, vanilla, hazelnut and brioche characters with a hint of flinty overtone. The palate delivers excellent weight and focus, well complemented by fine texture and juicy acidity, making it delectably appealing and highly enjoyable. At its best: now to 2028."