Escarpment Chardonnay 2016
SKU
ESCH201612 UCAU
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100% grown from Escarpment’s Te Muna Road site in what can be considered a perfect, cool dry season.
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The summer allowed a smaller crop than usual to ripen slowly, producing powerful opulent flavours and a flinty mineral backbone
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It is an accurate reflection of Martinborough’s unique terroir. Cellar for up to five years or more, successfully.
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1 or more bottles$39.00
Editors notes
100% grown from Escarpment’s Te Muna Road site in what can be considered a perfect, cool dry season.
The summer allowed a smaller crop than usual to ripen slowly, producing powerful opulent flavours and a flinty mineral backbone which combine beautifully with barrel fermentation to create Burgundian inspired Chardonnay. Flavours are reminiscent of white stone fruit with delightful soft texture ensuring a long commanding finish. Partial malolactic fermentation and lees stirring has enhanced the texture, complexity and mouth feel allowing it to match most entrée dishes and seafood.
It is an accurate reflection of Martinborough’s unique terroir. Cellar for up to five years or more, successfully.
Details
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Wine Type
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Vintage
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Variety
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Brand
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Location
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Cellaring
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Closure
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Alcohol Percentage
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Bottle Size
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Oak Type
Tasting Profile
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Light (Light)Full (Full)
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Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
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Sweet (Sweet)Dry (Dry)
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Low Acidity (Low Acidity)High Acidity (High Acidity)
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Aroma
- Apple
- Lemon
- Nectarine
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Palate
- Apple
- Cream
- Peach
Food Pairings
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Cheese -
Fish -
Poultry
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Locations
New Zealand
The New Zealand wine industry is one of the younger wine regions in the world, whose popularity grew immensely when Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc hit the world wine scene, quite unique in style when compared to the typical French Sancerre.
Wine is successfully cultivated on both the North and South islands from a latitude of 36 degrees in the North to 45 degrees for the most southerly wine region in the world, the South Island's Central Otago. The majority of regions are located in free-draining alluvial valleys except for Waiheke Island and Kawarau Gorge in Central Otago and benefit from the moderating effect of the maritime climate as no vineyard is more than 80 miles from the ocean. With plentiful sunshine hours and cool evening sea breezes, the grapes thrive.
Sauvignon Blanc is the major white variety people will think of when you mention New Zealand Whites, however fantastic Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and less commonly Viognier, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Blanc. Pinot Noir is the most widely planted red variety in New Zealand although Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot (Bordeaux Blends), Syrah are also grown and in even smaller amounts, Tempranillo and Montepulcianos can too be found. Sparkling wines of very high standards are also made in New Zealand.
The key wine regions in New Zealand include Auckland, Canterbury, Central Otago, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough and Nelson.
Martinborough
The wine region of Martinborough is located in South Wairarapa on the southern end of the north island, and in only 30 years or so has gone from a sleepy colonial town to a world-class wine village.
The region has picked up numerous international awards since the 1990’s with Pinot Noir picking up the lion’s share of the medals. Pinot Noir is undoubtedly the flagship wine of the region, with some incredible wines being produced.
The mineral-laden soils, combined with the cool climate provide the perfect backdrop for Pinot Noir, much as it has for centuries in Burgundy, France. Indeed the Pinot Noirs produced are very Burgundian in style, a compliment not adorned to many other wine regions worldwide.
The micro-climate of Martinborough is rather warm, with hills both to the east and west. Most all of the vineyards are located in thin strips around the northern and eastern sides of the town or on the Dry River to the south of Martinborough. All the vineyards follow dry riverbeds, which have the desired soil structure for viticulture.
Although Pinot Noir is the king of the reds, Shiraz is also cultivated and in the whites, Riesling, Gewurtztraminer and Pinot Gris are grown.
About the brand Escarpment
It would be impossible to discuss the great Pinot Noir without bringing up the man, the legend Larry McKenna. Known as 'Mr Pinot'. Though Adelaide-born, he's been spending the last 30+ years forging his reputation as one of New Zealand's greatest winemakers. He began his journey at Martinborough vineyards in the 1980s, and famously won a place in the Top 20 Pinot Noirs of the World with his 1998 Martinborough Reserve Pinot Noir.
In 1998 he founded Escarpment and crafts wines there with utmost attention to quality. Yields from his close-planted vines produce a tiny 1kg of fruit per vine - literally only 1 bottle per plant. He crafts an estate Pinot Noir and a thoroughly impressive range of single vineyard Pinots when vintage conditions meet his increasingly high standards.
His deft touch with Martinborough fruit, not limited to Pinot Noir, extends to Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Riesling.
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