Pyramid Valley Lion's Tooth Chardonnay 2022

Category:
 
White Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
White Wines
Producer:
 
Pyramid Valley
Label Name:
 
Lion's Tooth Chardonnay
Vintage:
 
2022
Country:
 
New Zealand
Region:
 
Waikari, North Canterbury
Volume:
 
750ml
ABV:
 
13%
Grape(s):
 
Chardonnay
Acidity:
 
4
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
4
Length:
 
4
Aroma Intensity:
 
4
Best Temperature:
 
12-14°C

Awards/Ratings
Rebecca Gibb (Vinous) 96 pts; Huon Hooke 96 pts; Wine Advocate 95 pts; Halliday (Dave Brookes) 95 pts; Wine Enthusiast (Christina Pickard) ~95 pts; The Wine Front (Mike Bennie) 94 pts

Tasting Note
Pale lemon-straw. Mineral-driven with mandarin, crushed limestone and roasted cashew notes. Lemon curd, nectarine and toasted-nut flavors unfold on a silken, taut palate with saline acidity and long, focused finish.

Food Pairing
Seared scallops, oyster/seafood platters, roast chicken or pork, creamy pasta, grilled salmon, aged Gouda; Asian: miso‑glazed black cod, tempura prawns, sushi/sashimi, pork belly with Asian greens, Thai-style fish cakes.

Production Method
Crushed and soaked ~2 hours before pressing; wild ferment in old French oak; 12 months on lees in barrel, then 5 months on light lees in stainless steel; bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Vineyard Info
Pyramid Valley biodynamic estate in Waikari (North Canterbury). High-density plantings (2000–2002; top-up 2018) on an east-facing parcel dubbed Lion’s Tooth; small-production, minimal-intervention philosophy.