Bilancia
Kaikora Vineyard Chardonnay 2023 750ml

A single vineyard Chardonnay from Kaikora Vineyard in Ōtāne. Kaikora is the original name for the town of Ōtāne in Central Hawke’s Bay. The name was changed to avoid confusion with Kaikōura in the South Island.

Kaikora Vineyard Chardonnay is a part of our project to highlight some of the most unique, small, single vineyards in Hawke’s Bay.

Central Hawke’s Bay is known for the ancient Pakohe (argillite) forming the basis of the soil type. Kaikora Vineyard is planted on pakohe soils with clone UCD15 Chardonnay on its own roots.  

The fruit was 100% hand-picked, then whole bunch pressed to French oak barriques for fermentation. The wine was fermented with indigenous yeast and then spent 11 months in oak prior to bottling; there was no fining or cold stabilisation.

Central Hawke’s Bay’s moderately cooler climate delivers fruit with a unique profile. Ripe fruit with some flint, hints of pink grapefruit and a firm backbone of acidity on the palate makes this wine a great food wine. Don’t drink it too cold. With time the wine will open up further developing a richer palate.

This wine is ready to drink on release and will continue to develop positively for 6 – 8 years.