Chardonnay Bannockburn
2024
Felton Road est un incroyable modèle de réussite. En seulement 20 ans, Felton Road est devenu une référence mondiale en matière de production de pinot noir du Nouveau Monde et a joué un rôle majeur dans le positionnement enviable de l’appellation Central Otago sur la scène vinicole. Le vinificateur de Felton Road, Blair Walter, est un personnage exceptionnel, doté d’une intelligence aussi remarquable que sa modestie. Orateur captivant et perspicace, il a la capacité singulière...
A crisp yet dense chardonnay with dried apples, honey, minerals and hints of cedar and acacia on the nose. It’s aromatic yet reserved, with a lively palate and lovely fine phenols that give it length and energy. From organically grown grapes.
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Notes of fleshy white peach and citrus fruits with hints of soft spice, clotted cream, white flowers, green apple skin, crushed river stone, pine nuts and softly spoken oak. These characters transpose neatly over onto the palate which shows a slick, textural flow while remaining taut with a high tensile acid cadence and plenty of carry, clarity and nervy energy.
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Refined mineral aromas of lemon peel, apple skin, orange blossoms and flint. The palate is light- to medium-bodied, giving notes of Asian pears, mandarin pith, puff pastry and lime curd. Tightly wound, framed by high-tension acidity.
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Apple-pie, crust and lemon-rind aromas follow through to a full body, layers of fruit and phenolic intensity. Hints of licorice and lemon rind. Serious complexity. Very honed texture.
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Aromas of lemon zest, sliced pear and apple blossom followed by sour cream, toast and subtle sea spray minerality. Medium-bodied, moderate acidity. Pure and delicate. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification.
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Made from Cornish Point and Elms fruit. A distant touch of toasted hazelnut is gentle on the nose. Lemon and notes of polenta appear later. The palate seems lithe despite its alcoholic heft of 14%, there seems to be a wonderful translucency that speaks of brilliant sunshine and brisk coolness. Texturally this reveals a light touch and masterful use of oak that allows lemon above all to shine through. Just 5% of oak was new - how beautiful.
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A creamy and polished wine with green apples and lime with stone aromas and flavors. Medium body. Pretty balance of fruit and acidity. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification.
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The 2023 Chardonnay Bannockburn is good enough to eat. Richly weighted, round and delectably textured, this fills the mouth with its seamless curves. Imagine festive spices allied with toasted nuts (10% new oak), white nectarine skin flavors and a lees-derived nutty richness (11 months).
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The 2024 Chardonnay Bannockburn has excellent clarity. It is delicately perfumed, subtle and focused with a fine texture. Restrained floral and citrus aromas join the merest touch of nutty oak, which complements the fruit. A line of bright acidity pervades through to the scented, savoury finish of medium length.
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While the owner of Felton Road calls this wine its everyday Chardonnay, this would be the height of winemaking sophistication for many NZ producers. Whole-bunch-pressed and wild-fermented in French oak (less than 10% new) before undergoing periodic bâtonnage; there's no fining or filtration here either. The result is an understated and elegant Chardonnay with delicate white stone fruit flavors and a subtle element of oak-derived cashew nuts.
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The 2023 Bannockburn Chardonnay is lean and tremendously tightly coiled at this stage, with notes of crushed and salted nuts, white peach, lemon, green apple and lemongrass. In the mouth, the acidity is a real factor in the drinking experience: it defines the finish and contributes to the overall leanness of the wine. It's crunchier than expected, but at 14% alcohol, it's certainly not underripe. Interesting angles, all of them. The Felton Road vineyard is situated below the 45th parallel, making it and the vineyards of southern New Zealand some of the most southern vineyards on the planet.
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