Villa Maria Keltern Chardonnay 2021
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Still 100% New Zealand and family owned, Villa Maria Estate has gone from strength to strength over the last 50 years and is now distributed worldwide. Dedication to quality remains unwavering and as a result, Villa Maria Estate has claimed the title of New Zealand’s Most Awarded Winery for over forty consecutive years.
The Keltern Vineyard was established in 1999. Sitting east of Maraekakaho and hugging the western edge of the Bridge Pa Triangle and the Ngaruroro river, this unique site has over time become synonymous with exceptional Chardonnay, earning it’s pace amongst New Zealand’s finest with an un-paralleled consistency in blind tasting success across multiple formats since the initial 2002 vintage.
Soils & Viticulture: Located east of the Maraekakaho region in Hawkes Bay, directly in the path of cool air currents flowing from a mountain range to the west, the Keltern Vineyard is an inland site, buffered by the Ngaruroro River. Established on an ancient riverbed planted in 1999, the vineyard has silt loams layered over red metals, including large free-draining gravel stones. Vines range in age up to 21 years, mainly cl15, cl95 and cl548, and at maturity are pruned and thinned to one bunch per shoot to target 7T/Ha. The parcel used for the 2021 Keltern Chardonnay is a single block of Cl15 vines that are 10 years old.
Weather in 2021: Warm spring conditions in Hawkes Bay resulted in an early flowering in Chardonnay which set the tone for the rest of the hot, dry summer as the regular viticulture milestones of the growing season all ticked by earlier than normal. The 2021 Chardonnay harvest was off to a record early start with Keltern vineyard picking starting in earnest on the 22nd of February, our earliest harvest date yet. Hand-harvesting of pristine fruit enabled a minimal intervention winemaking approach, allowing Keltern’s unique characteristics to shine.
Technical Information:
Grape: 100% Chardonnay | Single vineyard
Region: New Zealand
Sub Region: Hawkes Bay
Vineyard: Keltern
Bottled: 4th July, 2022
Malolactic: Some partial natural MLF. <25%
Total Acidity: 7.74g/l
Residual Sugar: 1.24g/l
Alcohol: 14.5 %
pH: 3.21
Drink: Now to 2035+
Tasting Note: Displaying a brilliant straw and lime-tinted hue in the glass, the nose offers a fragrant and complex medley of ripe melon, citrus blossom and nougat, complemented by underlying notes of grilled nuts. The palate is generous and mouthfilling initially then the long line of concentration and natural acidity leads to a sustained and powerful finish. This wine will develop further complexity, mineral and toast like characters.
The Keltern Vineyard was established in 1999. Sitting east of Maraekakaho and hugging the western edge of the Bridge Pa Triangle and the Ngaruroro river, this unique site has over time become synonymous with exceptional Chardonnay, earning it’s pace amongst New Zealand’s finest with an un-paralleled consistency in blind tasting success across multiple formats since the initial 2002 vintage.
Soils & Viticulture: Located east of the Maraekakaho region in Hawkes Bay, directly in the path of cool air currents flowing from a mountain range to the west, the Keltern Vineyard is an inland site, buffered by the Ngaruroro River. Established on an ancient riverbed planted in 1999, the vineyard has silt loams layered over red metals, including large free-draining gravel stones. Vines range in age up to 21 years, mainly cl15, cl95 and cl548, and at maturity are pruned and thinned to one bunch per shoot to target 7T/Ha. The parcel used for the 2021 Keltern Chardonnay is a single block of Cl15 vines that are 10 years old.
Weather in 2021: Warm spring conditions in Hawkes Bay resulted in an early flowering in Chardonnay which set the tone for the rest of the hot, dry summer as the regular viticulture milestones of the growing season all ticked by earlier than normal. The 2021 Chardonnay harvest was off to a record early start with Keltern vineyard picking starting in earnest on the 22nd of February, our earliest harvest date yet. Hand-harvesting of pristine fruit enabled a minimal intervention winemaking approach, allowing Keltern’s unique characteristics to shine.
Technical Information:
Grape: 100% Chardonnay | Single vineyard
Region: New Zealand
Sub Region: Hawkes Bay
Vineyard: Keltern
Bottled: 4th July, 2022
Malolactic: Some partial natural MLF. <25%
Total Acidity: 7.74g/l
Residual Sugar: 1.24g/l
Alcohol: 14.5 %
pH: 3.21
Drink: Now to 2035+
Tasting Note: Displaying a brilliant straw and lime-tinted hue in the glass, the nose offers a fragrant and complex medley of ripe melon, citrus blossom and nougat, complemented by underlying notes of grilled nuts. The palate is generous and mouthfilling initially then the long line of concentration and natural acidity leads to a sustained and powerful finish. This wine will develop further complexity, mineral and toast like characters.
