Pale lemon in colour with aromas of ripe nectarine and pink grapefruit. Toasted almonds and bran appear with some fine blossom too. Rich mouth-feel with exotic spice and lemon pith, balanced with a lengthy mineral spine.

Winemaking:

The Greystone team hand-picked their Chardonnay blocks and processed them without the use of additives. They then pressed their Limestone block as whole bunches and pressed their Clay block after foot crushing.

Each block was fermented separately in French oak barriques without intervention, allowing the wild yeasts and bacteria to perform primary and malolactic fermentation through to completion before being barrel aged for 10 months and estate bottled without fining.

Season Notes:

At Greystone 2020 was a great year for Chardonnay in North Canterbury, an early warm spring came without frost followed by good flowering.

A gentle Autumn allowed even ripening before harvest.

Organically managed, the combination of undervine cultivation & fewer irrigation cycles has driven the Chardonnay roots deep into the soil.

The Greystone 2020 Chardonnay is a blend of two main vineyard blocks. One block is limestone dominant, while the other is clay. The two clones, Mendoza & Clone 95, flourish differently in both blocks.  Mendoza is the cornerstone of their Chardonnay. The clone is known for its small, open grape bunches, intense fruit-driven flavours and chalky minerality.

Technical Notes:

Alc: 13.5%
pH: 3.38