Pyramid Valley Lion’s Tooth Chardonnay 2020

Accolades:
97/100 – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
95/100 – Bob Campbell MW
94/100 – James Suckling

“The 2020 Lion’s Tooth Chardonnay is a totally different proposition to the Field of Fire Chardonnay from the same vintage. The wine is retained and placid on the nose … the latent power of the thing is evident from the very first sniff. It is saturated with the curry leaf/cheesecloth/brine/preserved citrus notes that I associate with this producer, but the long throw of distance that the aromatics propose hint at great things. In the mouth, the wine speaks of crushed/salted/roasted nuts, red apple skins, peach fuzz and a hint of the little calcium deposits/flecks that one can find in Comté/Pradera cheese. That’s why I eat those cheeses, and that’s what I see here. What an exciting wine. Pure in its fruit profile, powerful in its acid/phenolic interplay, and so long through the finish. Yes! This is why we drink Chardonnay.” – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“Quite a rich, smooth-textured wine with mineral/oyster shell notes. Taut, distinctive chardonnay with high energy and a silky saltiness. Very distinctive, a wine that stands out in any crowd.” – Bob Campbell MW

“A lovely nose of flint, lemon rind, sliced pears and rosemary stem. Medium- to full-bodied with bright, citrus acidity that drives and pushes the palate through a long, lingering finish. Apple character on the palate. Very good concentration and intensity. Fresh with some brioche notes, too. Supple texture.” – James Suckling

Tasting Note: Golden straw colour with a bright Meyer lemon hue. Sunny aromas, with nectarine and buttercup sitting amongst the mandarin, ripe lemon and fresh cashew nut. Immediately open and concentrated on the palate, grilled stonefruit, lemons, marscapone, flowering thyme, oatmeal biscuit and distinctive grilled cashew nut; richness is ever present then becomes confined by the feel of limestone chalkiness and salt.

Winemaking Notes: Foot stomped and whole bunch pressed. Vineyard yeast ferment, aged in French oak barrels. 20 months on lees in barrels, then aged on light lees for 6 months in stainless steel prior to bottling unfined and unfiltered in June 2022.

Alcohol: 14.0%

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: Waikari, North Canterbury, New Zealand