Winemaker Notes
With aromas of fresh lime zest and fragrant gardenias, this wine is taut and vibrant in a way that will show its’ maturity over a very long period of time. Flavors of fine wool and bush honey are enhanced by quince and ripe bouche pear aromas with a tingling aftertaste.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Honey hued and also intensely honeycomb on the nose, this wine offers a mingling with wet wool, candied ginger and grilled pineapple, the mouthfeel is rich, slippery and concentrated with a lovely lift of acidity to buoy it and a lingering tangy finish. Full throttle yet never forced, this walks to its own beat.
Unquestionably one of the most diverse grape varieties, Chenin Blanc can do it all. It shines in every style from bone dry to unctuously sweet, oaked or unoaked, still or sparkling and even as the base for fortified wines and spirits. Perhaps Chenin Blanc’s greatest asset is its ever-present acidity, maintained even under warm growing conditions. Somm Secret—Landing in South Africa in the mid 1800s, today the country has double the acreage of Chenin Blanc planted compared to France. There is also a new wave of dedicated producers committed to restoring old Chenin vines.
Occupying the North Island’s East Cape, Gisborne keeps The Bay of Plenty to its northwest and Hawkes Bay on its southwestern side. It is the country’s most distinctive producer of Chardonnay, with heavy investment here until Sauvignon blanc stole the country’s limelight. Gisborne produces soft and charming Chardonnay, boasting stone and tropical fruit flavors.
The region includes a good number of artisanal winemakers but many larger Auckland producers source from Gisborne for their own Chardonnay bottlings.