The Ned Chardonnay 2016

ORIGIN Waihopai River Vineyard and Leefield Station, Waihopai Valley, Marlborough.

VA R I E T Y

 100% Chardonnay.

V I T I C U LT U R E

 Vertical shoot positioned, cane pruned vines planted at a density of 2525 plants per hectare. The soil originates from an ancient riverbed, comprised of free draining, stony silts with a silt loam topsoil.

V I N T A G E

 With the strongest El Nino pattern since the late 1990s being the dominant weather prediction for vintage 2016, the relative cool start to spring and the subsequent growing season was somewhat surprising. By mid- October, however, things began to look more typical as temperatures increased and the relative dryness so typical of El Nino began to manifest. The weather during flowering was warm and settled, leading to one of the most rapid and complete fruit sets seen in recent years. The early part of 2016 bought much needed rain to Marlborough, refreshing canopies and replenishing dams. The key ripening months of February and March were warm with above average sunshine hours setting the trend for a warm and largely dry harvest.

W I N E M A K I N G

Ripe chardonnay fruit was completely de-stemmed before being gently pressed and the juice settled prior to fermentation. Fermentation was carried out in a mixture of 500L French oak puncheons and temperature controlled, stainless steel tanks.

Following fermentation the wine was aged, on full yeast lees, for a further 9 months, with periodic yeast lees stirring to build weight, complexity and mouth feel. During this time around 50% of the batches underwent a malo-lactic fermentation.

A N A LY S I S

 Alcohol                   14.0%

 pH                         3.41

 Titratable Acidity     5.9g/L

 Residual Sugar       2.1g/L

C O L O U R

Pale golden hue with green highlights.

AROMA

Tropical tinged, yellow citrus fruit flavours underpinned by a subtle seam of lifted spicy oak and the smooth creaminess that develops from the malo-lactic conversion.

P A L AT E

 The debut release of The Ned Chardonnay delivers a bold, richly flavoured experience packed full of ripe, fleshy chardonnay fruit flavours and warm spicy oak all enveloped in a roasted nut and nougat creaminess.

C E L L A R I N G   P O T EN T I A L 

Up to 5 years.