Mills Reef Elspeth Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2021

Mills Reef Elspeth Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2021French oak Tropical fruit Butterscotch Mouth filling This distinguished Chardonnay exudes presence and finesse. The palate is wonderfully mouth filling and warm, with intense aromas of orange blossom stone and tropical fruits intertwined with peach and pomelo flavours all in harmony with fine French oak seasoning, leading to a subtle butterscotch, apricot and cashew finish. Instantly appealing, enjoy now or allow to age gracefully with careful

• French oak
• Tropical fruit
• Butterscotch
• Mouth-filling

This distinguished Chardonnay exudes presence and finesse. The palate is wonderfully mouth-filling and warm, with intense aromas of orange blossom stone and tropical fruits intertwined with peach and pomelo flavours all in harmony with fine French oak seasoning, leading to a subtle butterscotch, apricot and cashew finish. Instantly appealing, enjoy now or allow to age gracefully with careful cellaring.

The grapes for this classical variety were sourced from one of our acclaimed single vineyards, in the Bridge Pa district. The 2020/21 growing season in Hawkes Bay enjoyed a climate of consistently warm, clear, sunny days and uniform temperatures. This weather pattern allowed the grapes to develop perfectly and be harvested slowly at optimal ripeness on 10th March. The vineyard sits in rich alluvial red metal which is ideally suited for this noble variety.

The juice was barrel fermented, in 100% French oak hogsheads (300lt) with a chardonnay specific yeast, suited to promote the natural variety characteristics and terroir. Then, the wine underwent 35% malolactic fermentation to achieve an integrated buttery texture. Thereafter, the wine spent ten months in oak (35% new French) with frequent lees stirring for enhanced complexity. The final wine was composed from selected barrels and batches to achieve the desired wine style, before bottling under screwcap on the 11th of May 2022.