Chardonnay Block 6
2020
Felton Road is an astonishing overnight success story. In just over 20 years Felton Road has become the global benchmark for New World pinot noir and has played a massive role in making Central Otago a new buzzword in the world of wine. Felton Road winemaker Blair Walter is an exceptional character, blessed equally with intellectual brilliance and extreme modesty. He is a captivating and insightful speaker, with the special ability to articulate complex ideas in such a way that they are made to...
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Stone fruit, lemon and white blossom. The mouthfeel opens broadly, then coats and intrigues with mineral and refined summer fruit characters. Purposeful, deftly handled and not a step out of place. The naturally low-yielding 2020 vintage has provided great fruit depth and texture in this classic rendition of Block 6.
Flinty aromas with sliced cooked apples, lemon curd, lees, and lemongrass. Full-bodied and very tight with a lively and zingy acidity at the end. Ginger, too. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification.
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Mandarin orange, yellow cherries and green banana followed by butterscotch and dried tea leaves with an underlying saline minerality. Medium-bodied, bright acidity. Persistent depth and balance. Elegant finish. A firmness and focus in texture. About 60% old vines on their own rootstock. Mendoza (Wente). From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification
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Richer, weightier chardonnay than its sibling, Block 2, with slightly more assertive acidity driving an even longer finish. Bone dry wine with suggestions of lime citrus, wet slate, green apple and nectarine. A youthful wine that will respond positively to bottle age.
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A subtle zestiness is rather breezy on the nose, coming with a subtle edge of dried corn husk. A delicious flicker of smoke opens the palate. A textural element of pith and mouth-watering freshness make this very appetising, more air and temperature reveals notes of tangerine, beguiling with this riper, even more aromatic spectrum of citrus. Absolutely unclouded by new oak.
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Felton Road's Block 6 is north-facing, so it receives more sun compared with the east-facing Block 2 Chardonnay. As a result, it's a little more generous in its ripeness and mouthfeel yet remains precise and focused. This midweight style has a streak of assertive acidity, commonly found in Chardonnays made from the Mendoza clone. However, 18 months in old oak has rounded its edges and imbued an almost savory, nutty edge to the lengthy finish. Can be enjoyed now but won't be going anywhere in a hurry.
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