UNKEL LUTA CIRRUS CHARDONNAY 2023

Rob and Kate Burley have since 2019 been organically farming a picturesque 5.5 Hectare vineyard in Nelson, planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris & Riesling. As the ‘Unkel’, they always allow the wine to do the talking, leading its own life through fermentation and ageing in the winery providing what they believe is the most honest expression of the fruit that they started with.

Luta wines are a recent addition to their Unkel Wines range & are wines made from a selection of barrels that they believe tell the story of the unique Moutere clays & the organic vineyards in which these vines are farmed. These are aged for longer at every step, from barrel to tank and again in the bottle, prior to release.

‘Luta’ – derived from Lutum, the Latin word for clay – pays reference to the Moutere clays where the grapes are grown.

Winery notes (2023 Vintage)
"Luta our 'reserve' range of wines. These are wines made from a selection of barrels that we believe tell the story of the unique Moutere clays and the organic vineyards in which these vines are farmed. These are aged for longer at every step, from barrel to tank and again in the bottle, prior to release. ‘Luta’ – derived from Lutum, the Latin word for clay – pays reference to the Moutere clays where the grapes are grown.

Fresh, delicate aromas of almond, stone fruit with a hint of old oak. Cirrus is the rounder of the two Chardonnays with lovely ripe, textural tropical stone fruits wrapped with moreish, mouth-filling phenolics."

5 Stars & 94/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, April 2026 (2023 Vintage)
"Richly fruited and complex with notes of summer peach, mango, vanilla, roasted cashew, and subtle spices. It's succulent and plump in the mouth, delivering excellent weight and bright acidity, making it generous and mouth-filling with a lengthy, savoury finish. At its best: now to 2030."

Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, August 2026 (2023 Vintage)
"Nicely complex, varietal and specific in style with a wild ferment bouquet of forest flowers and layers of wood with a gentle spice quality. Additional scents of grapefruit and mineral, fresh fig and apple. A dry full-bodied expression with a natural and persistent flavours profile that reflects the bouquet. Fine fruit and wood tannins, lees and mineral with an acid line that gives backbone and length. Best drinking from day of purchase through 2033."

93/100 David Walker Bell, WineFolio.co.nz, August 2025 (2023 Vintage)
"From a 5 hectare, organic vineyard in Nelson. Sealed under cork (my sample was unlabelled) – a bright golden-green colour in the glass. The bouquet is complex, with a blend of ripe fruit and savoury notes. Peach, apricot, red apple and lemon peel, with fennel, marzipan, acacia, crushed shell and orange blossom. Mouth-filling and zesty acidity grips the palate, highlighting the generous fruit. The chalky minerality underlines the acid, and there’s only a hint of oak in the background. A good smudge of tannin meets the round, mealy texture and become best friends before ending in a dry, lengthy embrace."

17/20 Richard Hemming MW, JancisRobinson.com, February 2026 (2023 Vintage)
"Mid-gold colour and a saline, slightly phenolic style that delivers just enough funkiness to the palate. This is Chardonnay first, but with a skin-contact and/or oxidative element adding deep, thick complexity. Moderate acidity and full alcohol gives this thickness that seems to be from a warmer place than Nelson, and I’m not complaining about that. Apricots and peaches are similarly ripe and generous. The overall impact is excellent: leesy, lengthy, complex and playful, riding the border of natural and conventional with confidence and appeal."