Novum Marlborough Chardonnay 2023

Category:
 
White Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
White Wines
Producer:
 
Novum
Label Name:
 
Marlborough Chardonnay
Vintage:
 
2023
Country:
 
New Zealand
Region:
 
Marlborough
Volume:
 
750ml
ABV:
 
13.5%
Grape(s):
 
Chardonnay
Acidity:
 
4
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
4
Length:
 
4
Aroma Intensity:
 
4
Best Temperature:
 
11-13°C

Awards/Ratings
96 pts — Halliday Wine Companion (Shanteh Wale, Feb 2025); 17. 5/20 — Richard Hemming MW, JancisRobinson. com (May 2025). Listed by multiple specialist retailers

Tasting Note
Flinty citrus and yellow peach with grapefruit sorbet, almond-milk creaminess and gentle struck-match smoke. Fine acidity, subtle spice (cumin, white pepper) and a long, baked-meringue finish.

Food Pairing
Western: roast chicken, beurre blanc scallops, creamy pasta, grilled salmon, aged Comté. Asian: miso-glazed black cod, seared tuna (maguro), prawn tempura with dipping sauce, mildly spiced Thai coconut dishes.

Production Method
Whole-bunch pressed, settled 24 hrs, barrel-fermented in French oak (≈10% new) with native yeasts. Aged ~13 months on lees, bâtonnage, bottled without fining.

Vineyard Info
Small artisanal label founded by Will and Rachel Hoare. Fruit from older Mendoza-clone blocks in the central Wairau Plains (greywacke riverbed soils); family-managed vineyards and low-volume, site-driven approach.