Personalised Neudorf Rosie's Block Amphora Chardonnay 2023 13.5% 750ml

 

TASTING NOTES

 

PALATE

Amphora Chardonnay plays with exquisite tension. Tension between fruit concentration and rockpool minerality. Between an intriguing flint and weighty Tension in the balance of power and agility. Tension in its shape, both curvaceous and driven. However, this wine is in no way, tense. It is graceful, flowing, balletic, genteel, confident and free. Unshackled by traditional expectations of chardonnay - the result is a comtemporary, delicious wine for the chardonnay obsessed or equally the chardonnay averse (apprently that's possible).

 

FOOD MATCHING

Much like the simple approach to winemaking, this wine should be served with simple fresh seafood and not much faff.

 

VINIFICATION

Low cropping, hand harvested. Wild ferment. Natural Spring malo. 100% amphora fermented. Unfined.

 

MATURATION

10 months on gross lees, followed by 2 months on fine lees, in a stainless steel tank.

 

ABOUT THIS PRODUCT

Country: New Zealand

Region: Moutere

Vintage: 2023

Variety: Chardonnay

alcohol volume: 13.5

closure: Screwcap

volume: 750

weight: 1.21kg

wine style: White (Medium Bodied Oaked)

Reviews:

Emma Jenkins, Decanter - 94 Pts

Many will be familiar with the pedigree and deliciousness of Neudorf’s Moutere Home Block, but the pioneering Nelson producer makes other exciting Chardonnays, too. The lithe, saline Rosie’s Block Amphora is a great example; fermented in a clay amphora, it’s fragrant with stone fruit, lemongrass, grapefruit and subtle oatmeal. Textural and elegant with pleasing freshness and good length.

Susie Barrie MW & Peter Richards MW, Susie & Peter New Zealand Wines of the Year - 93 Pts

If you’ll excuse the Burgundy reference, where the Moutere Chardonnay (above) is more Côte d’Or, this Amphora Chardonnay is more Chablis. Both are serious expressions of the Upper Moutere terroir, which does a fine line in elegant Chardonnay. But they are also intriguingly, wonderfully different. Much of this stems from the winemaking – hence the wine’s name. Where the Moutere Chardonnay is barrel fermented, this wine sees no oak. Instead, the ambient-yeast, high-solid fermentation takes place entirely in clay amphora, with 10 months on the gross lees followed by two months on fine lees, with full malolactic fermentation. The basis of the wine is beautifully refreshing, crunchy apple, pear and peach fruit, but giving it textural weight and complexity are layers of yeasty, creamy, stoney, yoghurty flavours from that lees-ageing. Mouth-watering and elegant – yet another utterly winning Chardonnay from this outstanding Nelson producer.