Whom You Know: Champagne Wishes: Villa Maria Private Bin Hawkes Bay Unoaked Chardonnay 2009 Recommended by Whom You Know

Friday, July 30, 2010

Champagne Wishes: Villa Maria Private Bin Hawkes Bay Unoaked Chardonnay 2009 Recommended by Whom You Know

Previously, we recommended the Riesling:

http://www.whomyouknow.com/2010/07/champagne-wishes-villa-maria-private.html

And since then, Peachy did speak to the fabulous Mayling, our Kiwi friend whom we met in London. Mayling is still in the town of the Crown Jewels, and she verified how excellent this Villa Maria is. Unfortunately we can't drink this today with Mayling on the other side of the pond, but we plan on it someday. Today we take the Unoaked Chardonnay under consideration.

Vineyard Description:

Individual parcels are sourced from vineyards across the Hawkes Bay region. With their individual microclimates and soil profiles, these sites produce Chardonnay parcels with differing flavors and aromatics, contributing complexity to the blend.

Winemaking:

Cool fermentation techniques in stainless steel tanks were employed to promote aromatics and fruit flavors. Some lots underwent malolactic fermentation, while others were left on yeast lees. Weekly lees stirring contributed layers of texture to the palate.

Winemakers Comment:

This Chardonnay has been crafted in a fruit-driven style suited for everyday enjoyment as an alternative to wooded styles. Produced to capture the essence of Hawkes Bay Chardonnay and full of ripe peach and stone-fruit flavors, this wine is finely-balanced with an edge of minerality.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Region:

Hawkes Bay

Varieties:

100% Chardonnay

Alcohol:

13%

pH:

3.59

Total acidity:

5.75gL

Aging:

4 months on lees

Residual sugar: 2.3 gL

Peachy Deegan herself had a little cocktail party with a variety of cheeses with this wine, and it was a hit. We found it to be clean, crisp and fresh with notes of green apple and pineapple. It smells like a green meadow at dawn and this zesty classic deserves a place in your wine cellar. The Champagne Wishes Panel sipped away, and they say:

My first impression upon tasting this particular Chardonnay was that it's very fruity, refreshing and somehow different than most Chardonnays I've tasted in the past. Upon closer inspection of the label, I realized this is an unoaked Chardonnay, hence the grape itself is allowed to be the main star of the wine itself, without the oak as used in regular oaked wine, adulterating the natural flavors and tendencies of the Chardonnay grape. The result is a purer version of what Chardonnay wine is and for those of us who aren't fans of 'oaky' wines, this will be your new favorite Chardonnay. The use of oak in wine fermentation is much like the use of spices in cooking, once the balance is off and the oak taste is too dominant, it's like over-spicing a meat dish to hide that the meat isn't as fresh or it altogether hides the taste of a good piece of meat too. I balanced the simplicity of this wine with a complex dish, a smoked and spiced pork over spinach pasta covered with miso sauce. The fruitiness and light elements of the wine countered and yet complemented the strong, varied flavors of the dish. This wine is also quite refreshing and enjoyable on its own, it's a great choice for a summer wine

Villa Maria Chardonnay is a stunning wine. It is awesome to matches really well with chicken and fish. I actually made an amazing swordfish and pared it with this Chardonnay and was blown away. My friends who I served this too couldn't get enough. They really loved the wine and how it was matched with the food. The wine really brought out the taste of the swordfish and vegetables. I also had a bit of the wine leftover the next day for myself and matched it with a cheese pasta. YUM! I can't even express the amazing taste the wine had with cheese pasta!! The Chardonnay has a lovely taste of lemon and honey. It's a full bodied wine with a velvety texture. I honestly can't get enough of this wine. My friend who also had this wine expressed how this was one of the best Chardonnays they had had in a long time. During the summer I'm a big time white wine drinker. I can't handle using a bottle opener. I'm a total lost cause when it comes to this. I'm happy to say that this bottle also has a screw top. I will be taking this Chardonnay to many dinners. I will also serve it during the rest of my summer. I've never been happier than to have been introduced to this amazing Chardonnay.

http://www.villamaria.co.nz/Our-wines/White-Wines/Chardonnay/default.aspx

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