Silver Medal: China Wine Awards 2012
IWSC: Best New Zealand Winery 2011 (Marisco Vineyards)
Bursting with lively citrus and honey dew melon aromas, this beautifully complex wine also shows notes of grilled nuts and lightly toasted bread. Deliciously vibrant flavours immediately appeal, a strong core of citrus fruit is backed by a creamy, nutty texture which lingers thanks to a beautifully crafted acid backbone.
This Chardonnay was grown in the heart of Marlborough’s Wairau Valley on one of the region’s oldest and most acclaimed vineyards. Cane pruned and leaf plucked vines produced a beautifully balanced crop of evenly ripened fruit.
The 2011 vintage was a strong La Nina summer. For Marlborough this weather pattern brings warm temperatures with a bit more moisture than average. Spring was warm and sunny, with excellent flowering. Mid-summer had some scattered rain events which promoted vine health and healthy canopies. The warmer temperatures allowed for an early harvest of excellent fruit with great balance.
A mixture of hand picked and machine harvested fruit was gently pressed and fermented in French oak barrels using a combination of natural and cultured yeasts to add complexity. Following fermentation, a period of lees stirring occurred to further build on the wines structure and texture. After 9 months of barrel maturation, this outstanding Chardonnay was bottled following a light filtration.
The de Mariscos descended from a William de Marisco (approximately AD 1100), who was said to be one of the 35 illegitimate children of Kind Henry the First - thereby marking him the King's Bastard.
The de Mariscos continued a rocky relationship with the monarchy in subsequent generations, ultimately ending with the tragic execution of a later William for piracy and his alleged involvment in a treasonous plot.
Winemaker: Brent Marris
Decanter World Wine Awards 2012: Bronze Medal (2010 vinatage)
Decanter World Wine Awards 2011: Bronze Medal (2009 vintage)
Consumer's Choice Award at the "Chardonnay and Something Different" Tasting Results, New Zealand, April 2011 (2009 vintage)
