Chardonnay Block 6
2022
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...
See the FELTON ROAD detail page for more information on this brand
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.
See detailed press review
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
See detailed press review
Aromatically, the Block 6 comes across as a little more concentrated than its Block 3 stablemate, with more expressive citrus, peach and yellow plum fruit tones. Soft spice, yellow flowers and curls of clotted cream, ginger, sourdough and river-stone. Ditto on the palate. There is a nice swell of fleshy stone-fruits, some apple danish and softly spiced oak nuance with just a wee tweak of phenolic texture on the focused, savoury finish.
See detailed press review
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.
See detailed press review
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.
See detailed press review
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.
See detailed press review