Complex and enticing grapefruit, citrus and white peach characters are complemented by struck-flint, spice and vanilla. In the glass the wine is loaded with texture. Stone fruit and citrus are underpinned by a flinty mineral flavour and toasty complexity. The wine has great balance and length and will reward cellaring for the next five years

The Bouldevines Vineyard is located at the entrance to the Omaka Valley, inland from the coast. This vineyard sits in the Southern Valleys, with soils that are stony, alluvial, and free draining. The inland location is cooler, allowing the Chardonnay grapes to achieve optimum ripeness and expressive fruit flavour, while retaining vibrant acidity.

2020 would’ve been the perfect harvest, if it wasn’t for COVID-19. A dry spring, summer and autumn reduced disease pressure and supressed berry growth. Late summer brought Marlborough’s trademark cool nights, which aided the development of aromatics and the retention of acidity. The introduction of a nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of COVID coincided with the beginning of picking. Our vineyard and winery teams moved incredibly fast to adhere to strict distancing and hygiene protocols to allow us to continue to harvest. The fruit for this wine was hand-picked in the cool of the morning, then taken straight to the winery and whole-bunch pressed. After pressing, the juice was sent to barrel, including a selection of older and new oak puncheons and barriques (40% new). Here it completed wild fermentation and full malolactic fermentation, before aging for 10 months.

This wine is immediately enjoyable but will continue to drink well for the next five years.