Tasting note
Soft pale gold, Estate Vineyards Chardonnay ’14 shows ripe citrus, clover honey and nectarines with incredible concentration, persistence and length. The purity and balance of its stonefruit palate is the signature of this wine. The 2014 marries this with a new level of sweet, juicy peach and nectarine, as well as biscuit and roasted nuts. Balanced, fresh and elegant, a tour de force of chardonnay fruit carries all the way through to a fine, fresh finish.
Technical Analysis at bottling
pH 3.37
Total acidity as tartaric 6.6g/l
Alcohol 13.5%
Residual Sugar Dry
Winemaking
Estate Vineyards Chardonnay ’14 combines the best of traditional and modern winemaking.Traditional whole-bunch pressing, barrel fermentation, barrel maturation on gross lees, and malolactic fermentation were all used on a portion of the wine to enhance the complexity, richness and integration. Modern de-stemming and tank fermentation was used for the remainder of the grapes to preserve the vibrant varietal aromas and clear, fresh, fruit expression.
Vineyards
The grapes for Estate Vineyards Chardonnay ’14 were harvested between 6 and 12 March 2014 from Te Mata Estate’s own vineyards in the Woodthorpe Terraces, Bridge Pa Triangle and Havelock Hills sub-regions of Hawke’s Bay.
Origin
Sourced exclusively from Te Mata Estate’s own vineyards, the estate vineyards wines are blended to represent the best qualities of their variety, vintage, and Hawke’s Bay origin.
'Bright, even straw-yellow colour with slight hints of gold. This is very tightly bound and elegantly proportioned on the nose with fresh aromas of citrus fruit and white stonefruits and lifted yellow floral elements. Dry, tight and near austere, the palate features an amalgam of stonefruits, citrus fruits and nuts at the core. The palate is fine-textured and cut by crisp acidity leading to a tight, dry finish.' ★★★★Raymond Chan, Raymond Chan Wine Review - Te Mata Estate Showcase Summary, 2015 All Reviews
