Winemaker Notes
The 2016 Pyramid Valley Lion's Tooth Chardonnay is a brilliant, pale platinum gold. Youthfully closed at first pour, but opening with intense and diverse aromas, ranging from wet slate minerality, to Granny Smith apples, Meyer lemon, and juicy nectarine, backed by enticing empyreumatics. A chalky mouthfeel and broad shouldered body, work towards creating a synergy to be reckoned with. Power and vivacity are complimented by ongoing length, like an arm reaching out and pulling you back in for more.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A richly fleshy, concentrated style with aromas of fresh peaches and green mangoes, leading to a palate that has a very attractive, ripe and juicy core of peach and green-mango flavors. Smooth, powerful and seamless.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Lion's Tooth Chardonnay comes across as warmer and peachier-ripe than the Field of Fire bottling, with notes of peach and pineapple balanced by hints of crushed stone and pencilly oak. It's medium to full-bodied yet fresh and focused on the finish, where it picks up hints of aniseed.
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Wine Spectator
Succulent peach, butterscotch and Meyer lemon flavors are rich and concentrated, with a terrific thread of acidity weaving in and out on a smooth body. Long finish.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.
On the central eastern coast of the South Island, Canterbury includes a collection of small and varied subregions. The region is cool and dry with low rainfall and light, infertile soils. Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir are well-suited here, with Pinot Gris coming in third place.