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Buy OnlineSettlement, named after the stunning Amphitheatre single vineyard site in the Omaka Valley, is dedicated entirely to the production of organic, old vine single vineyard expressions of very special sites in Marlborough.
Poplars vineyard is further south in the Brancott Valley, just next to the famous Section 94 vineyard. Named after trees surrounding the site the vines were planted in 1992, Mendoza clone (now 28 years old). Alluvium soils over a clay subsoil as opposed to the river rock/silt of the Wairau valley floor. Hand-picked, racked of solids, wild ferment in barrel, then elevage for 12 months, 15% new.
Winery notes (2021 Vintage)
"Mixed citrus fruit is complemented by attractive hints of pip and stone-fruit. A complex underlying richness is kept in check by the wines balance and freshness.
Planted in 1992, the Chardonnay vines, made up of 100% Mendoza, sit on free draining alluvium over a complex clay profile. Requiring little to no irrigation except in the very driest of seasons. Poplars Vineyard receives relatively low rainfall compared to the northern side of the nearby Wairau Valley. A certified organic vineyard since 2012, the resulting fruit from this site shows great vibrancy and intensity with flinty, mineral undertones, and a creamy textured finish. The 2021 vintage was one of the best the Marlborough region has seen with a warm growing season and minimal rainfall."
Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, June 2024 (2021 Vintage)
"Deep straw with some flashes of gold and a silver shimmer lead to a bouquet of intensity and richness, barrel spices and ripe stone fruit scents. Aromas of roasted peach and vanilla, baked apple and clove, a dry stone mineral quality and gentle lift from the alcohol. Lots of weight and creaminess as the wine touches the palate, dry with layers of wood spice and fruits flavours that reflect the bouquet, plus grapefruit and a touch of pineapple. A decent acid line and warming alcohol extend the finish and complexity. Well made with best drinking from 2024 through 2029."
90/100 Erin Larkin, RobertParker.com, Wine Advocate, February 2025 (2021 Vintage)
"The 2021 Poplars Vineyard Chardonnay hails from a single vineyard that was planted in 1992 in Marlborough's Southern Valleys. Planted on free-draining alluvium over clay, the fruit is the Mendoza clone and was matured for 12 months in barrel, followed by a further six in tank, bottled unfined. So, on the nose, there is pine resin and pineapple, white peach, crushed nuts and toasty oak. In the mouth, the wine is concentrated and full of flavour, never really shedding the nettle character observed on the nose. This is lean, shapely and attractive. I like it. It's unusual, in its way, but it works."
