Man O' War Kulta Series 'Matilda' Waiheke Island Chardonnay 2019

Man O' War Kulta Series 'Matilda' Waiheke Island Chardonnay 2019French oak Nectarine Foral notes Expressive acidity "This very modern style of Chardonnay makes full use of the solids (suspended in the cuvee) before the wine is barrel fermented. Another modern feature of this wine is that there is no MLF (Malolactic fermentation) so the fans of the big butter expressions will be taken on a new adventure you wont be disappointed. Aromas an flavours of nut and spice are quite rich with smoky toasty stone fruits,

• French oak
• Nectarine
• Foral notes
• Expressive acidity

"This very modern style of Chardonnay makes full use of the solids (suspended in the cuvee) before the wine is barrel fermented. Another modern feature of this wine is that there is no MLF (Malolactic fermentation) so the fans of the big butter expressions will be taken on a new adventure - you won’t be disappointed. Aromas an flavours of nut and spice are quite rich with smoky toasty stone fruits, peach with a touch of pith. Toasted brazil nut and apple then apricot. Lovely palate texture with fine tannins and plenty of acidity showcasing flavour and intensity.  Don’t be afraid to cellar this wine with best drinking from late 2021 through 2028+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Jan 2021

2019 Mathilda exhibits beautiful floral oak aromatics with positive herbaceous characters, new season white peach and freshly picked nectarine. Concentrated yet crisp and crunchy, the palate is long and elegant with exquisitely expressive acidity and white fruit tannin. 2019 Mathilda represents the pinnacle of Chardonnay winemaking, a wine that is structured and harmonious with tremendous potential to age. The most incredible elegance and sublime harmony with an extraordinary potential to age.

The 2019 Mathilda Chardonnay comes from two vineyards, Gorse laneway a sheltered South facing steep hillside rich in clay and dry farmed and the Bitch vineyard which is more elevated, exposed to the cooling sea breezes and has a volcanic influence in the soil. All our Chardonnay parcels are hand harvested and macerated before pressing. The pressed juice is left un-fined in tank to begin spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts. The fermenting juice is then fed and transferred to 500 litre French oak puncheons for fermentation that is hot and fast. The wines are then left on gross lees until blending, small doses of sulphur dioxide are added at topping to help prevent the onset of malolactic fermentation, no lees stirring is carried out. Blending takes place in the New Year and bottling is carried out prior to the following vintage, approximately 11 months in oak.