Gold Medal – New Zealand International Wine Show 2023
Gold Medal – Aotearoa Regional Wine Show 2023
Winery notes (2022 Vintage)
"This single vineyard Chardonnay was produced from our Long Lane Vineyard located in the Dashwood area of Awatere Valley. The 100% Mendoza clone was hand harvested and fermented using wild yeasts in a combination of old and new French oak barrels. After full malolactic fermentation the wine was aged in barrel for 11 months adding weight, texture and complexity to the palate.
Aromas of ripe, fresh yellow stone fruits, complemented with rich, buttery notes and a subtle layer of flint. Generous on the palate – lovely fresh citrus with a well-rounded nutty finish. This wine has intense fruit concentration and the underlying acidity gives great focus."
5 Stars & 94/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, September 2023 (2022 Vintage)
"Gorgeously fruited and complex, the enticing bouquet shows golden peach, mango, vanillin oak and brioche characters. The palate delivers excellent weight and plush mouthfeel, wonderfully complemented by creamy texture and beautifully infused acidity. Generous and flavoursome, while remaining refined and harmonious. At its best: now to 2028."
94/100 David Walker Bell, WineFolio.co.nz, October 2023 (2022 Vintage)
"A Chardonnay from the Awatere Valley in Marlborough. A light yellow-green colour in the glass. Scented with aromas of nectarine, lemon curd, grapefruit, cashew nut, smoky spice and orange blossom. Full-bodied, opulent and energetic, with an artful balance of sweet fruit, toasty oak, zesty acidity but also a stony minerality running through the palate. Complex and broad, there are layers of baking spice, peppery herbal notes, and a soft, creamy texture to discover as the wine heads to a dry, lengthy finish."
4 ½ Stars Michael Cooper (2022 Vintage)
"The 2022 vintage was grown at two sites in the Awatere Valley. Bright, light yellow/green, it is an invitingly fragrant, full-bodied wine, with generous, ripe, peachy flavours, well-integrated toasty oak adding complexity, and finely balanced acidity. Already drinking well, it should be at its best 2025+."