"Plainsman" SV Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2016

Winemakers Notes

Our 2016 Plainsman SV Chardonnay is based on a single parcel of fruit from a block in Koropiko. For the fourth year in a row the weather gods smiled upon Hawkes Bay and we were able to harvest our fruit in magnificent condition. Post harvesting, pressing and settling, the juice was run off to seasoned American and French oak for fermentation and aging. Most barrels also went through a secondary malolactic fermentation.

.



Analysis

Alc	13%
Acid	6.2g/L
Res sugar	3.6g/L
pH	3.39

Tasting Notes

Colour:	Very pale gold in the glass at bottling, but will slowly deepen with time.
Bouquet:	A melange of vanilla, cream, sweet lemon, grapefruit, hazelnut, and subtle oak.
Palate:	This is a medium weight, rich Chardonnay. It has sweet fruit, beautiful texture and length.

Cellaring
Already approachable, but will cellar happily into the medium term in a cool environment.
 
Food Matches
The oak ageing makes this wine an excellent match with full flavoured rich dishes, in particular poultry, pork, salmon and crayfish.
           
Suggested Wine List Description
A stylish Chardonnay, mouth-filling and smooth. Not heavy, but with great depth of flavour, it shows maturity balancing sweet citrus and grapefruit aromas with delicate oak and nut overtones. Everything lingers neatly on the finish.

Independent Reviewer's Comments
“A delightful chardonnay; the beautifully fragrant bouquet shows white nectarine, fig, vanilla and nougat characters with subtle hazelnut complexity. It is wonderfully weighted and fleshy on the palate, delivering plenty of delectable fruit flavours and silky texture, finishing superbly long and smooth.” Sam Kim
 
Awards

93 Points/5 Stare

Wine Orbit March 2018

Vintage Tasting Notes - Download PDFs

2016   2015