Description

ABOUT THE PRODUCER:
Founded by Tim and Judy Finn (now retired) in 1978 who were pioneers of the Nelson wine industry and Tim Finn was a founding member of Sustainable Winegrowing NZ. Their daughter Rosie Finn carries on the family tradition in the role of Sales & Marketing/Director together with winemaker/GM Todd Stevens and viticulturalist Stef Brockley. The focus is on sustainability with the winery run on solar power aided by the fact that Nelson has some of the longest sunshine hours in New Zealand. All estate owned blocks are organically certified and the old vines are dry farmed. All wines are bottled in lightweight glass.

THE VINTAGE:
A dry start to the season followed by a wetter than normal November. A welcome change to early summer and autumn with drier and warmer months (December-April). Minor rain events ensured canopies stayed “refreshed” before a trouble-free harvest period. A generous season producing wines of volume and precision.

ABOUT THE VINEYARD:
Purchased in 1999, this north facing block overlooks the estate’s home vineyard and is named after Tim and Judy’s daughter. Bordered on the south by a mature, QE2 covenanted block of native bush and recent wetland plantings extending down a gully into the vineyard, this is a strikingly beautiful vineyard.. The soil is clay and gravel, dry farmed or with minimal irrigation and 100% organically cultivated, with additions of Bokashi compost, undervine mowing with minimal soil disturbance and horticultural oil, sulphur and minimal copper spray inputs. Combination 2 cane and spur pruning to regulate yields and grapes 100% hand harvested.

THE WINEMAKING PROCESS:
Grapes are pressed on gentle cycle followed by 24-48 hour settling. Fermentation is made using 100% wild yeast with a high solid proportion in clay amphorae for 10 months on full lees with monthly battonage until completion of natural malolactic (100%), followed by 2 months on fine lees in stainless steel tank.

OUR TASTING NOTES:
100% Amphora fermented – an exploration and celebration of our Moutere Clays. Amphora Chardonnay plays with exquisite tension. Tension between fruit concentration & rockpool minerality. Between an intriguing flint and weighty mouthfeel. Tension in the balance of power & agility. Tension in its shape, both curvaceous and driven. However, this wine is in no way, tense It is graceful, flowing, balletic, genteel, confident and free. Unshackled by traditional expectations of chardonnay – the result is a contemporary, delicious wine for the Chardonnay obsessed or equally the Chardonnay averse (apparently that’s possible). An atypical, energetic and captivating Chardonnay.

GRAPE VARIETY:
Chardonnay 100%.