2023 Technical Specifications
Grape Varieties 100% Chardonnay
Region Central Otago
Estate Grown Yes
Fermentation Vessels Oak barrels after settling in stainless steel
Pressing Method Hand-Picked Whole Bunches Were Foot-Trodden And Basket-Pressed
Natural Yeast Yes
Production Details After settling in stainless steel, the wine underwent natural fermentation in oak barrels and remained in those barrels for 16 months. It was released after at least 12 months of bottle maturation. These month-based and lower-bound durations are retained as text rather than converted to exact aging-day fields.
Tasting Notes Wine Grocery's 2023 release note describes a cooler-season, tighter structure, with white peach, pear compote, pineapple syrup and acacia aromas, extended acidity and minerality, and a gently bitter, elegant finish.
Vintages
2022 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 14.1%
Grape Varieties Chardonnay
Region Central Otago
Soil Alluvial sandy or silt loam with schist and quartz gravel
Vineyard Yield 35 hL/ha
Harvest Dates 19–28 March 2022
Estate Grown Yes
Sites Fruit from all three blocks of the Sato estate vineyard in Pisa
Grape Clone Predominantly Mendoza clone, with clones 15, 6 and 121
Fermentation Vessels Oak barrels
Pressing Method Basket-Pressed Overnight
Natural Yeast Yes
Oak Details 18% First Fill New Oak
First Fill New Oak18%
Oak Types French oak
Bottling Date 28 Aug 2023
Contains Added Sulfites Yes
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Closure Screw Cap
Production Volume 3,622 bottles
Bottles3,622
Production Details The estate vineyard used no pesticides, herbicides, systemic fungicides or inorganic fertilizers. The wine matured for 16 months in French oak barrels. No additives were used except a 15 mg/L sulfite addition before bottling; this figure describes the addition, not total finished-wine sulfites.
Tasting Notes Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate, tasting in March 2025: ample mid-palate concentration, piercing and focused fruit, fleshy yet mineral-driven, with finesse and focus. James Suckling: cooked apple, croissant and fresh-bread notes, medium body, dense center, creamy texture and a delicious finish.
Critics Ratings 95
Shop prices
| Reference | Vintage / size | Price / bottle | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wine-SearcherLWIN 2723075 | — | — | wine-searcher.com ↗ |