Hunter's Offshoot Marlborough Chardonnay 2018

Hunter's Offshoot Marlborough Chardonnay 2018French oak Apricot & mango Roasted hazelnut Succulent & rich "Complex and beautifully lifted, the bouquet shows apricot, mango, roasted hazelnut and flinty characters. It's succulent and richly textured on the palate, displaying excellent persistency and complexity with a hint of savoury nuance. At its best: now to 2024" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Oct 2020 "Complex and wild, floral and textured, enticing and different. Flavours of white peach and lemon,

• French oak
• Apricot & mango
• Roasted hazelnut
• Succulent & rich

"Complex and beautifully lifted, the bouquet shows apricot, mango, roasted hazelnut and flinty characters. It's succulent and richly textured on the palate, displaying excellent persistency and complexity with a hint of savoury nuance. At its best: now to 2024" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Oct 2020

"Complex and wild, floral and textured, enticing and different. Flavours of white peach and lemon, wild flowers and leesy spices. There’s a flinty wet rock flavour, plenty of acidity then fruit flavours of peach and citrus, a touch of creamy custard and lengthy vibrant finish. Different and interesting, fun and new. Drink now and through 2023" Cameron Dougas, Master Sommelier, Aug 2020

A brilliant golden colour, the 2018 Offshoot Chardonnay shows a layered nose of nectarine and apricots, with a hint of nuttiness and pencil shaving oak notes. Stonefruit continues through to the palate where the soft elegant mouthfeel integrates beautifully with the French oak. The wine can be enjoyed now but will also develop and evolve over the next 5 years.

A warm spring without frosts greeted the growing season and encouraged a very quick flowering period. The summer was warm and dry up until Christmas but became very wet in the New Year. We did not need to irrigate our vines for the remainder of the season which was very unusual for Marlborough. Ripe flavours at low sugar levels allowed us to pick early compared with previous years.

Old vine Mendoza Chardonnay was selected from our Rapaura vineyard. Handpicked fruit was gently pressed, 100% free-run juice immediately filled to large oak casks for a high solid, indigenous fermentation. Following fermentation, 100% went through natural malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged in barrel on lees for 12 months and a further 6 months in tank before being racked and blended. The oak regime consisted of 100% French oak, 30% of which were new. 100% barrel fermentation I 30% new, 70% 2-year-old French 900L oak barrels I 100% malolactic fermentation I 12 months barrel ageing, 6 months tank ageing.