150 Church Road,
Taradale,
Hawke's Bay
New Zealand
Ph: +64 6 844 2053
Fax: +64 6 844 3378
info@churchroad.co.nz
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©2006
This wine combines the concentration of ripe, low-yielding Chardonnay fruit with the balance and elegance that comes from traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques to produce a wine of subtlety, finesse and complexity.
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Release date: October 2006
Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Hawke's Bay
Colour: Pale straw.
Aromas: Elegant and fragrant. Refined citrus blossom and stonefruit aromas are overlaid with subtle oak, savoury yeast and mineral complexity.
Palate: The wine's complex aromas are echoed by the flavours on a long, taught and concentrated palate.
Careful cellaring for five years or more will be rewarded with an increase in the mineral, savoury and nutty complexity in the wine. Expect the palate to unfold and soften even further.
Vineyard Manager: Murray Hill
The 2004 vintage was warm and dry giving clean, ripe fruit with exceptional concentration.
Brix at harvest: 24°
Winemakers: Chris Scott
Hand-harvested fruit from our Korokipo Vineyard was gently whole-bunch pressed to very low juice yields and then settled overnight. Whole bunch pressing produces a soft, elegant wine with good ageing ability. Barrel fermentation of cloudy juice emphasises the mealy, mineral complexity which is an integral part of this wine's style.
The wine was fermented and aged in French oak barrels of which 45% were new and the balance was one-year-old. It was left for 10 months on full yeast lees with regular stirring. This helps to develop complexity and further enhances the textural qualities of the wine.
Over recent years, the Church Road winemaking team have continued to develop a style of increased complexity across our wines. An almost French influence is emerging which places greater emphasis on complexity and texture rather than relying simply on fruit and oak for their appeal.
Alcohol: 14% vol.
pH: 3.52
Total Acidity: 6.1g/L
Residual Sugar: Dry
* currently available vintage(s)
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