2019 Moira Chardonnay

91 points, John Szabo, WineAlign.com
95 points, Vic Harradine, WineCurrent

Winemaker Notes:

Expressions to the nose of Granny Smith apple, lime, pear syrup, apricot, mango and marzipan. This focused, richly textured chardonnay brings flavours in waves: tangy baked apple, pink grapefruit and pineapple, velvety white peach, honeydew melon and buttered toast, underlain by a lingering mineral salinity.

Hand-picked from the Moira Vineyard’s north block on October 7th at 21.6° Brix average grape sugar. 

Destemmed chardonnay grapes went direct to press.  The juice was fed into three 300-L neutral French oak barrels, where the wine completed primary and partial malolactic fermentation.  After eight months, 97 cases were bottled unfiltered in July 2020.

At the time of bottling, Alcohol measured: 12.5%,  Residual sugar: 1.9 grams per Litre; titratable acidity: 6.6 grams per Litre; pH: 3.29

Dry: 1.9 g/L residual sugar

Vegan friendly.           

Food Companions:
Try with generously flavoured and textured foods such as crispy-skinned roast chicken, turkey pot pie, halibut in a buttery sauce or squarsh ravioli.

95 points, Vic Harradine, WineCurrent
In spite of the ‘neutrality’ of the French oak barrels, there are notions of toasty oak on the nose along with apple pie spice of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s fascinating on the palate with deft balance and dazzling flavours of lemon pastille, crisp, green apple, lime cordial and plenty of tangy pizzazz juxtaposed with the creamy-smooth mouthfeel and delightful texture and elegance from cork pop to last drop.

91 points, John Szabo, WineAlign.com
Recently bottled, the 2019 Moira Vineyard chardonnay is still somewhat closed on the nose, with some wood still showing, not fully integrated yet - it's a wine that will need another year or three to settle in. It's a little rounder and fatter than the Mottiar Vineyard chardonnay tasted at the same time, which makes sense given that Moira is both a warmer site, and usually harvested a bit later. It delivers a riper fruit profile as a result, tending towards more melon and yellow-fleshed orchard fruit, though in this cooler vintage it's nicely balanced and in check. Tasted July 2021.

"This single vineyard offering, named after the owner’s wife has always been a signature and celebrated release at the winery. This year it's soft and easy with a nice creamy apple - melon flavour, some lime zest and even some white peach on the finish." Michael Pinkus

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