Tantalus 'Cachette' Reserve Chardonnay

"Bright straw-yellow colour with lemon-green hues, lighter edged. This has a fresh, tightly bound and finely presented nose with intense and concentrated aromas of savoury citrus fruit and stonefruits entwined with complexing fragrant and spicy oak and nutty elements. Medium-bodied, the palate is refined and tightly held with a firm core of savoury citrus fruit melded with yellow stonefruits, nuts, spicy and toasty oak. The mouthfeel is bright, lively and refreshing with lacy acidity cutting and balancing the creamy barrel-ferment textures. The wine flows along a fine, smooth line leading to a lingering savoury citrus fruited and nutty finish. This is an elegant and refined Chardonnay with savoury citrus fruit and nutty oak, and a fresh, bright palate." Raymond Chan

• Winery: Tantalus Estate
  
• Varietal: Chardonnay
  
• Region: Waiheke Island, New Zealand
  
• Vintage: 2019
  
• Alcohol: 13.5%
  
• Volume: 750ml
  
• Closure: Cork
  
• Cellaring Potential: 2020 - 2026
  
• Other: Sustainable Winegrowing, contains sulphites
  
• Food pairing: Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls, White Fish Terrine with Salmon Roe and Dill, Rabbit Pate Campagne, Garlic Brandy Prawns, Veal Blanquette
  

Winery notes - From the first hint of an intense yet elegant nose, spring aromatics of wild flowers, lemon peel and fresh thyme, bringing this Chardonnay alive. Charming tropical characters, highlighting nuances of papaya, turmeric and a luscious mid-palate of blood orange. The 10 months spent in oak barriques helped to develop the distinct character of fresh honey and baked pecan crumble underlined with a hint of pine smoke. Layers of intricacy and freshness makes this an excitingly bold Reserve Chardonnay.

Nobody thought that the Tantalus Estate on Waiheke Island could be restored to its former glory, but when you’re the kind of people where determination replaces sleep like Campbell and Carrie Aitken, anything is possible! After tirelessly pruning, clipping, and ripping out the original vines, a bit of experience in tourism (and a lot of determined Kiwi ingenuity), Campbell and Carrie bought and transformed the old brewery into the estate that it is today: Proud, elegant and premium.

The Aitken’s love and understanding of people and cultures is the foundation of everything that they do at Tantalus Estate, and it shows in their winery as well as their hospitality. Their winemaking process is characterised by elegance and subtlety, constantly pursuing excellence and carefully choreographing every step of production so that each vintage is better than the last, every drop leaving an indelible impression.

• 93/100 Points & Excellent - Cam Douglas (2019 vintage)
• 18+/20 Points - Raymond Chan (2019 vintage)