Aotea Nelson Chardonnay 2024

Vineyard: Seifried Rabbit Island
Date of Harvest: mid March 2024
pH of Wine: 3.48
T.A of Wine: 5.2g/L
Residual Sugar of Wine: 1.2g/L
Alcohol: 14%
Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans: Yes

Our Rabbit Island vineyard is situated on a wide river flat, about 1.5km from the sea, which helps moderate temperatures. The soil is gravelly sandy loam, which marks the sites of Māori kumara (sweet potato) beds prior to European settlement in the early 1800s. The Māori transferred and spread fine gravel and sand over the land to provide suitable soils for their kūmara plantings. Scrub was burned to give ash and charcoal, which increased soil fertility and characteristic topsoil. This fertility is now considerably reduced due to modern farming. The soils are, however, very sandy and free-draining. The water table is relatively high, ensuring adequate underground water.

The 'hen and chicken' berries of the Mendoza clone of Chardonnay give full tropical flavours. Fruit was harvested and brought to the winery where it was immediately
pressed and cooled for a 24-hour settling period. Following this the juice was racked and warmed before inoculation. Once the ferment was active it was gravity fed to new, one and two-year-old French barriques. The wine completed primary alcohol fermentation in oak before undergoing malolactic fermentation. During these alcoholic fermentations the barrels were hand-stirred periodically to build palate weight and structure. Following this, the wine was left sitting on its yeast lees for a further 12 months before being racked from barrique and prepared for bottling.

2024 was simply an outstanding vintage in Nelson - in fact Hermann Seifried has commented that it is perhaps the very best vintage of his 49 seasons in the top of the south! That from a character not known for exaggeration or embellishments. A dry settled growing season meant fruit was harvested in squeaky clean condition, with perfect ripeness and flavours.