Description
BAY OF ISLANDS | MADRE
Deeply expressive of place, the 2020 Madre Chardonnay offers a complex aroma of citrus, stonefruit and spice characteristics. The palate has excellent depth and intensity, with mineral notes and a powerful, lingering finish.
VINTAGE NOTES
2020 was an outstanding growing year in the Bay of Islands, with low rainfall over the ripening months, allowing each block to be harvested at the optimal ripeness. The grapes were hand-picked from three blocks at The Landing, on 11, 17 and 24 February 2020, with yields ranging from 3.5-5.5 tonnes per hectare. Whole-bunch fruit was gently pressed to French oak barrels, 50% new, for fermentation. After 11 months, the wine was blended to tank for more than a year, ageing on full yeast lees.
Reviews
96/100 Bob Campbell, Master of Wine
Vibrant, high energy chardonnay…I like the texture and am impressed by the length of flavour, which shows real underlying power. This is a very serious chardonnay. It sat up in the glass and deserves to be aerated. 2023 – 202896/100 Andrea Pritzker, Master of Wine
Restrained bouquet with a hint of gun-flint reduction. Opens lively and bright with an elegant backbone of fine acidity. Notes of white peach to start then slowly unfolds to reveal lovely layers with time in the glass. Finishes long. Beautifully balanced
5 stars Michael Cooper
Highly fragrant, weighty and rich, with deep stonefruit flavours, mealy and toasty notes add complexity and a well-rounded, harmonious finish. Still youthful, it should be at it’s best 2024+.
95/100 Cameron Douglas
A wonderful complexity and drive in the bouquet with scents of fresh citrus and white peach, there’s a noticeable gun-flint quality too then aromas of new French oak, spice and clay earth. On the palate a dry wine with texture and complexity, flavours of white peach and lemon, grapefruit and layers of fruit and wood spices. Acidity and oak layer in texture and structure enhanced by a natural saline quality. Very lengthy finish with persistent textures and flavours. A wine that is enjoyable and drinkable today with optimal drinking from mid to late 2024 through 2029.
