Corofin Marlborough Chardonnay 2023

Accolades:
94/100 – Jamie Goode, Wine Anorak (2022 vintage)
93/100 – Gary Walsh, The Wine Front (2022 vintage)
91/100 – Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review (2022 vintage)
91/100 – James Suckling (2022 vintage)
Viva NZ Wine Awards 2025 (2022 vintage)

Tasting Note: Pure and textured; driven by precision from Wrekin and salinity from Brawn. A mixture of cooler citrus, lime; layers of lees and oyster shell are framed with beautifully ripe acidity. We love how this wine achieves texture and weight without richness.

Winemaking Note: Source Blocks: 60% Brawn Vineyard 40%, The Wrekin Vineyard. Harvested: 23rd March, 2nd April Brawn, respectively. Indian summer, increased physiological ripeness with beautiful acidity / phenolic balance. Whole bunches were loaded and pressed slowly over six hours to small stainless steel tanks. No enzyme or sulphur additions were made during or after pressing, and the smaller, harder press fraction was separated and discarded. After six hours settling, the main press fraction — retaining a high percentage of solids — was transferred to 500-litre seasoned French oak puncheons and two stainless barrels for fermentation. Primary fermentation began naturally after an average of six days and took 16 weeks complete. Malolactic fermentation across all batches finished by mid-November 2023. The young wines were then topped and remained on original lees in puncheons, without stirring or sulphur, until April 2024. The components were then racked to separate stainless settling tanks, sulphured and left on lees for a further five months. In October 2024, the batches were racked in preparation for assemblage, then allowed to rest for before final sulphur addition and bottling in early March 2025. This wine was bottled without fining or filtration. A small natural deposit may occur.

Certification: Organic

Alcohol: 13.5%

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: Marlborough, New Zealand