Astrolabe Southern Valleys Sec Chenin Blanc 2024

Astrolabe Southern Valleys Sec Chenin Blanc is a lively, lightly off-dry Chenin Blanc with crisp orchard fruit and a playful natural spritz. Red and yellow apple, pear and nectarine meet pineapple, elderflower, honeysuckle and ripe citrus, while bright acidity and subtle mineral detail keep the medium-bodied palate taut and refreshing. Hand-picked organic fruit from the steep clay slopes of Wrekin Vineyard is fermented in stainless steel to preserve its fragrant fruit and youthful energy. Enjoy it well chilled with oysters, grilled prawns, fresh goat's cheese or aromatic chicken dishes with lemongrass and ginger.

What the winery says:

The Chenin Blanc was grown by the Johns family at Wrekin Vineyard in Marlborough's Southern Valleys. The north-facing block sits on steep, tight clay soils formed over ancient glacial outwash. Following a warm and particularly dry growing season, the organic fruit was hand-picked on 30 March 2024 and whole-cluster pressed. Fermentation took place on light solids in stainless steel using cultured yeast and was stopped before completion, retaining a small amount of sugar to balance the wine's crisp acidity. A light spritz adds further freshness. The wine contains 13% alcohol and 5.1 grams per litre of residual sugar. It is vegan, organic and certified under Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand.

What the experts say:

Cameron Douglas MS, 94/100 & Excellent (2024 Vintage)
“Deceptively complex and taut, a wine to cellar or enjoy from 2025 through 2035+.”