2009 Whitehaven Chardonnay
Accolades
TROPHY Champion Commercial White Wine - NZ Int. Wine Show 2011
Gold Medal - New Zealand International Wine Show 2011
Tasting Note
Colour / Appearance:Deep straw, with a bright clarity. Aroma / Bouquet:A rich combination of white nectarine and peach with secondary mealy, toasted hazelnut and mineral nuances. Palate:A rich, full bodied wine with a creamy texture and a complex array of flavours. These are perfectly wrapped in finely grained oak, adding savour and toasted notes. Cellaring:We recommend drinking it in the first 3 or 4 years after the vintage, however the wine has the structure and closure to allow continued development with careful cellaring. Food Match:A perfect match for Mediterranean food, pork or chicken pies and creamy mushroom pastas. Serve:Slightly chilled.
Wine Analysis
Alcohol:14.0%Residual Sugar:1.8 g/L Titratable Acidity:6.5 g/L pH:3.56
Viticulture
Harvest Date:6th and 11th April 2009 Climate:The ripening season was characterised by a dry Christmas period and then a wet February. However, this was followed by a perfect late ripening period with clear, warm days and cool nights. Vine Management:Sourced from the Mendoza clone the vines are trained to 2 canes on a vertical trellis, with balanced pruning, shoot thinning, tucking and trimming to achieve an open, healthy canopy.
Vinification
Winemaking:The fruit was either hand picked and whole bunch pressed or machine harvested in the cool evening conditions. The pressings were kept separate to minimise phenolics. The juice was lightly settled before being fermented both wildly or with selected yeast strains. Halfway through fermentation, the juice was transferred to French Oak Puncheons of which 47% was new. Regular lees stirring was done, during the 10 month maturation to aid texture and mouth feel. Winemaker:Sam Smail and Diana Katardzieva