Giesen Single Vineyard Clayvin Chardonnay 2019
Case Buys Only | 6 x 750ml
Giesen Single Vineyard Clayvin Chardonnay comes from one of Marlborough's most celebrated single sites: the certified-organic Clayvin Vineyard in the Southern Valleys, planted back in 1993 on some of the region's oldest clay soils. The 2019 release shows why the vineyard has such a following among winemakers - white peach and lemon layered with toasted hazelnut and a distinct flinty edge, concentrated and textural on the palate with the kind of bright acidity and long, mineral finish that rewards a decent glass rather than a quick one. Wild-yeast fermented in German oak and left on lees for the best part of a year, it's a serious, structured Chardonnay built for roast chicken or something equally unhurried.
What the winery says:
Clayvin Vineyard sits in Marlborough's Southern Valleys, planted in 1993 on a north-facing, certified organic site with fragile, ancient clay soils that hold water while pushing vine roots deep into cooler subsoils - conditions the winery credits for the wine's structure and minerality. The 2018/2019 growing season brought low disease pressure and very low yields, with extra crop thinning at veraison for concentration, while warm days and cool Marlborough nights preserved natural acidity. Fruit was hand-picked and hand-sorted, whole-bunch pressed, then fermented with wild yeast in 1000L German oak Fuder barrels. The wine spent 11 months on lees and went through full malolactic fermentation, before 12 months' further maturation in Fuders and 300L French oak hogsheads with 25% new oak. It's 14% ABV, pH 3.18, TA 6.78g/L and RS 1.3g/L, and Giesen suggests serving it with refined seafood, roast poultry or creamy dishes.
What the experts say:
Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, 97 Points (2019 Vintage)
"An exceptional offering; the bouquet is inviting, engaging and very charming with white stone fruit, rockmelon, lemon pith, vanilla and hazelnut characters with a touch of flinty notes. The palate offers outstanding fruit purity and vibrancy, wonderfully complemented by creamy texture and firm acidity. It is taut yet rounded and flows effortlessly to an extremely long sensual finish."
