Astrolabe Farm Chardonnay 2020

Astrolabe The Farm Chardonnay is a concentrated, site-driven Chardonnay from Astrolabe's organic home vineyard in the lower Wairau Valley. Stone fruit and pineapple meet nutmeg, chamomile and jasmine, followed by lemon peel, dried papaya, beeswax and a distinctive flinty edge. The palate is dry, layered and mineral, with generous fruit, fine acidity and savoury oak complexity carried through a long finish. Made from the oldest vines used by Astrolabe, this is a compelling choice for drinkers who enjoy Chardonnay with richness and texture, but also freshness and definition. Serve it with lobster, butter-fried sole, oysters or pasta al limone.

What the winery says:

The 100% Chardonnay comes from Astrolabe Farm in Grovetown, within Marlborough's Wairau Valley. The dry-farmed, certified-organic vineyard has free-draining silty loam soils and low-cropping vines planted to Mendoza, Clone 15, Clone 2/22 and Clone 6. Fruit was hand-picked between 27 March and 9 April 2020, whole-bunch pressed and limited to the free-run juice. Fermentation took place in French oak puncheons and barriques using selected and indigenous yeasts, followed by frequent bâtonnage, full malolactic fermentation and 10 months of barrel maturation. The wine was bottled unfined and contains 13.1% alcohol and 1.3 grams per litre of residual sugar.

What the experts say:

Cameron Douglas MS, 96/100 & Outstanding (2020 Vintage)
“Absolutely fantastic on the palate with flavours that are delicious, seamless and complex.”

Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, 95/100 & Excellent (2020 Vintage)
“It’s a rich, flavoursome chardonnay with a nice blend of fruit (peach, apple) and savoury (nutty yeast lees, spicy oak and oyster-shell) flavours.”

Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous, 93/100 & Outstanding (2020 Vintage)
“It may only be medium-bodied at most, yet it has plenty of punch within its core.”