Corofin Brawn Chardonnay 2020

Accolades:
95/100 – Rebecca Gibb MW (Vinous)
94/100 – Jamie Goode, Wine Anorak

“It’s a well-concentrated midweight style with honed power. While lees aging has brought substance through the core, there’s a line of firmness on the persistent finish. Expect lingering flavors of ripe nectarine and apple-like fruit alongside subtle nutty notes (puncheon) and a light flinty tone that acts like salt and pepper. Wonderfully “not made” Chardonnay.” – Rebecca Gibb MW

“This is from a site on the southeast Wairau Valley floor with a fertile silt loam soil. Very fresh and fine on the nose, with bright lemon notes and a hint of green tea and white pepper. The palate is taut and restrained with lovely bright lemony notes. Very pure and fine. So expressive, showing good acidity and real purity.” – Jamie Goode, Wine Anorak

Tasting Note: A mere 3km from the ocean, Brawn Vineyard lies south east of the Wairau Valley floor, with fertile Kaiapoi silt loam soils deposited by flooding, over centuries, of the neighbouring Ōpaoa River. Organic farming encompasses native boundary plantings supporting the life force of the property. Complete fruit intensity is moderated with a coastal salinity, lending accuracy and amplification of site. An exciting addition to the Corofin grower portfolio. BioGro certified. Striking fruit intensity moderated by a crisp and delicious coastal salinity. Early days for us with this site but feels like an accurate reflection of place. Made for oysters.

Winemaking Note: Hand-harvested on 2nd April 2020. Whole bunches were loaded and pressed slowly over 6 hours to a small stainless steel tank. No enzyme or sulphur additions were made during or post pressing, with a smaller, harder press fraction separated on taste and discarded. After 6 hours settling, the main press fraction was transferred with a high percentage of solids to three 500 litre seasoned French oak puncheons and one 300 litre stainless steel barrel, for fermentation. Primary fermentation took five days to naturally initiate and 4 weeks to complete. A full and natural malolactic fermentation finished early January 2021, after which the young wine was topped and remained on original lees in barrel, without stirring or sulphur, until April 2021. The components were then racked together to tank and sulphured where they remained on lees for a further five months until bottling in November 2021. This wine was bottled without fining or filtration.

Certification: Organic

Alcohol: 12.5%

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: Marlborough, New Zealand