Felton Road Block 2 Chardonnay 2023

Category:
 
White Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
White Wines
Producer:
 
Felton Road
Label Name:
 
Block 2 Chardonnay
Vintage:
 
2023
Country:
 
New Zealand
Region:
 
Bannockburn, Central Otago
Volume:
 
1500ml
ABV:
 
14%
Grape(s):
 
Chardonnay (Mendoza clone)
Acidity:
 
5
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
4
Length:
 
4
Aroma Intensity:
 
4
Best Temperature:
 
10-12°C

Awards/Ratings
James Suckling 96 points; Vinous 94 (Rebecca Gibb); Robert Parker Wine Advocate 90; Jancis Robinson 17. 5/20; The Real Review 95. Sources: Felton Road technical/reviews, Vinous, JamesSuckling, Robert Parker and specialist retailers

Tasting Note
Mineral-driven citrus and green apple with lime blossom, crushed stone and pear. Laser-like acidity, fine creamy texture and subtle toasted-nut/oak layers leading to a long, saline, focused finish.

Food Pairing
Roast chicken with herb butter, mushroom risotto, butter-poached scallops, grilled sea bass; Asian: miso-glazed black cod, salmon nigiri/sashimi, poached chicken with ginger-scallion, lightly spiced Cantonese seafood dishes.

Production Method
Biodynamic estate fruit; whole-bunch pressing, settled overnight, gravity-fed to French oak (c.17 months, ~4% new). Indigenous fermentation and wild malolactic; minimal intervention, unfined and unfiltered.

Vineyard Info
Felton Road, established 1991 in Bannockburn; owner Nigel Greening, winemaker Blair Walter. Estate farms multiple Demeter‑certified biodynamic vineyards including The Elms' Block 2 (planted 1992).