Winemakers comments:
The Judge & Jury chardonnay is grown on The Tiger, Viper and Mason Vineyards in the Lowburn and Parkburn regions of the Cromwell basin. A steep slope overlooking the Tiger vineyard in Lowburn produces the same aromatically spicy/floral profiles that we find in the Pinot Noir grown there, as well as similar persistence and very long-lived flavours. The Viper Vineyard in Parkburn grows intensely lemony and weighty Chardonnay, the palate length showing the rich mineral acid and saline notes typical of this vineyard. While the Mason Vineyard provides good fruit weight, texture, and depth of flavour to round out the palate.
We are keeping the crop load very low, and the wine is given lengthy skin contact before pressing, and fermentation in barrel. Of which the majority are made from Acacia trees rather than oak. The result is a wine that is tight, refreshingly pure, and mineral driven, showcasing cool climate fruit where the oak is very much in the background. Best from 2022 on.
Wine description: An intense bouquet of green apple and ripe citrus fruits are first up before more complex notes of white flowers, creaminess and wet stone are released. There is good intensity on the palate with rich citrus and apple fruits. Beautifully balanced and seamless the wine is extremely drinkable, with lingering citrus and nutty notes with a light salinity bringing some extra focus and purity.