Barrique Fermented Chardonnay 2015 Magnum 1.5L

Styled to capture the regional essence of Gisborne, this wine offers a complex medley of fresh stone fruit aromas with hints of tropical fruits and smoky grilled nut characters. The palate creamy and textured, that leads to a finish extended with fine acidity. This concentrated and powerful wine can be enjoyed upon release but will ultimately benefit from maturation, continuing to develop intriguing complexity over the next 8-10 years.

Download full tasting notes: 2015

McDiarmid Hill is Villa Maria's jewel in the crown Gisborne vineyard, beautifully positioned on an elevated north facing hillside slope in Patutahi. Taking full advantage of the sunlight, dry wind conditions, slightly cooler temperatures and natural water drainage, the additional elevation provides a wonderful advantage for producing this consistently outstanding wine. Select parcels of exceptional Chardonnay were sourced from grower vineyards at several locations on the Gisborne plains. Careful yield management and timely leaf plucking around the bunch zone in all vineyards ensures that desired fruit ripening and quality can be achieved. A blend of predominantly Mendoza, cl95, cl15 and cl548 with unique characteristics provided blending options ideal for building complexity in the wine.

2015 was an excellent all round vintage for sunny Gisborne, particularly for Chardonnay. Gisborne experienced a good amount of heat throughout the season with intermittent rainfall events which maintained canopy health and flavour development. Cooler nights moderated warm daytime temperatures and allowed for steady sugar and flavour accumulation across vineyards. Picking decisions based soley on flavour was the reward for growers and winemakers.