Editors notes
(2019) Biodynamic. This 0.4-hectare site, like the wine that results, takes its name from the vineyard’s abundance of dandelions (‘dent-de-lion’, or lion’s tooth in French). These flowers predominate apparently because of the higher clay content in this parcel. It is a steeply inclined, east-facing site on soils that Weersing described as having a “…nut and crumb structure and great mineral fertility”. It’s the classic limestone and clay of the area but here the higher balance of clay makes it the more vigorous of the two Chardonnay blocks. It is also more exposed and ripens earlier; in 2019, Lion’s Tooth was picked more than a week before Field of Fire.
Details
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Wine Type
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Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
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- Apple
- Lemon
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- Apple
- Cream
- Peach
Food Pairings
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Critic Scores & reviews
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Huon Hooke
98"(2019)"Bright, light yellow colour with a little ulfiltered turbidity. Marvellously smoky, spicy aromas, smoked-charcuterie and creamy lees aromas informing a very complex bouquet. Intense and powerful, toasted nuts of various kinds including hazelnuts. Very compelling. The wine is seriously rich and mouthfilling, concentrated and ample, adding lemon-citrus and floral flavours, with a warming finish that glides on and on. A great chardonnay.""
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James Suckling
94"(2019)"Intense nose of smoke, dried lime, peach, hay and toasted hazelnuts. Some saline notes, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with bright acidity and a vibrant, flavorful palate. Complex. Taut finish. Drink now or hold. Screw cap.""
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Mike Bennie
95+"(2019) I did a bit of research on petrichor and found that the term was coined by a couple of Australian researchers in the mid 1960s. I thought it was descriptive only, but there’s science applied to oils of plants taken up by soil then released by rain after dry periods. Not just rain on warm pavement, ey? Anyways. This smells like petrichor, on lime/lemon scents, jasmine, struck match and struck flint. Savoury, you could say, or at least mostly the perfume is non-fruit based and seasoned by elemental, minerally characters, or so. The palate crackles, is tense, edgy, very tart and driven by acidity over everything and delivers a very minerally hit of chardonnay. A bit waxy, a bit smoky, a touch salty, kinda exciting all up. Lots going on, jangly and scintillating and cool. Wicked drinking. Drink 2021 - 2035."
Other vintages
Love this wine? Here's a list of other vintages we have in stock if you'd like to try them as well.
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- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2019
- Brand Pyramid Valley Vineyards
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type White
- Alcohol Percentage 14.0% Alcohol
Pyramid Valley 'Lions Tooth' Chardonnay 2019-
Huon Hooke98 points
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James Suckling94 points
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Mike Bennie95+ points
$125.00
Current auction
All current auctions for this wine & any different vintages.
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.
Canterbury
Waipara is located only 40 mins north of Christchurch city, the capital of the South Island. It is the fastest growing wine region in all of New Zealand with over 1,200 hectares across 80 vineyards already planted. The region receives certain protections from cool easterly winds in the form of the Teviotdale hills, which still allows the warmer northerly winds in.
The region has three general sites; the valley floor, the river terraces and the hill slopes. Across the region the main red variety grown is Pinot Noir, followed by the white grape Riesling, both of which are very suited to the gravelly, limestone derived clay soils in the region. Other whites grown include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Chardonnay. Waipara can lay claim to having the highest summer temperatures, and the lowest overall rainfall of any wine growing region in the land.
"Canterbury's stunning Waipara region is one of the unsung heroes of the wine industry" - Bob Campbell MW.
About the brand Pyramid Valley Vineyards
The home vineyard has been established according to rules that Mike grew to respect and inherently to trust during his time studying and working in Burgundy: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay have been planted, on clay-limestone soils on scarp slopes, at a density of 10,000-12,000 vines per hectare. The vineyard has been biodynamically managed from inception.
Each block is planted to reflect a specific soil type hence the somewhat irregular looking blocks. In total there are only 2.2 hectares planted in 4 separate blocks. The differences in taste reflects the soil and climatic differences between each block, which is never more than 400 metres at most. Each block and variety is vinified separately but identically in a mixture of old oak and clay amphorae so the outside influences on the grape are minimised.
The blocks themselves were named by Claudia after the weed varieties predominant in each, which also reflect the different soil. The Angel Flower is a more exposed block, north facing that reflects a lightness, delicacy and an ethereal scent. The Lions Tooth with its golden dandelions and obvious lime rich soil shows a rich golden colour with a toasty sulphite nose. The Earth Smoke is a heavier clay, with a denser, wild, gamey outcome. The Field of Fire slopes away to an eastern aspect and into the heaviest clay and makes typically a green-hued delicate wine.
Pyramid Valley Vineyards are fully certified Bio dynamic. And so are their cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, dogs , cats and vineyard family all of whom share in the journey of Bio dynamics and benefit from the gifts it gives.
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