Beach House Levels Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2024

Beach House Levels Hawkes Bay Chardonnay is a concentrated, finely structured Chardonnay built from Clone 548 fruit grown on Ohiti Road. Ripe stone fruit, white nectarine and lemon peel meet brioche, nougat, almond and gentle oak spice, creating a generous palate with plenty of flavour and texture. Crisp acidity gives the wine focus and keeps the richness beautifully balanced through a long, engaging finish. Made using only the free-run juice and fermented in fine French oak, it is a polished step up for lovers of full-flavoured Hawke's Bay Chardonnay. Enjoy it with roast chicken, grilled crayfish or firm white fish in a creamy sauce.

What the winery says:

The Chardonnay was sourced entirely from the Gunn family vineyard on Ohiti Road, where Clone 548 is grown. The grapes were hand-picked on 7 and 8 March 2024, with only the initial free-run juice selected for Levels. Fermentation took place in fine French oak, including 16% new barrels, using a combination of wild and inoculated yeasts. The wine also underwent malolactic fermentation, contributing brioche notes and added texture alongside its punchy stone fruit, oak structure and spice. It contains 13.5% alcohol, with less than 1 gram per litre of residual sugar.

What the experts say:

Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, 94/100 & 5 Stars (2024 Vintage)
“Superbly structured by crisp acidity, finishing impressively long and engaging.”