With every new vintage we are finding the demand for our wine outstripping supply.
Our 2023 Vintage is currently only available through our club, via the Winemaker's Selection, or Collectors selection mixed pack.
V I N T A G E C O N D I T I O N S
Our wines from the 2023 vintage will show the great elegance and finesse that comes with a cooler season. Taut acidity balanced by a crescendo of lifted aromatic flavours will make these wines an essential addition to any serious wine cellar. The third year of a ‘la nina’ weather pattern brought high rainfall and lower temperatures throughout the 2022 spring. Thankfully the rare, deep, red-ferrosol soils on which the Delamere vineyard is planted provide excellent drainage, and we were able to get our equipment onto the vineyard between showers to give the growing vines all the attention they required. A change to warmer conditions through December and January helped the ripening process catch up, but wet conditions returned through February and March. Judicious canopy management and a lucky warm, dry break in early April, allowed us to ripen our fruit for the Delamere Estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to perfection
W I N E M A K I N G
Every aspect of crafting this wine is designed to let the unique character of our vineyard shine, building the complexity and texture that truly cool-climate Chardonnay can carry so well. Hand-harvested from Delamere’s oldest vines, the fruit was whole-bunch pressed in our small press directly to tank. After a brief settling, the juice was racked with light, fluffy solids to 100% new French oak, where a slow indigenous fermentation unfolded. Co- inoculated for malolactic fermentation, with gentle lees stirring to build palate weight and mouthfeel. The wine was matured in oak for 12 months before bottling under cork and wax seal, with minimal filtration.
A further 12 months of bottle maturation has allowed the wine to settle and harmonise before release, capturing the essence of our site in its purest form.
T A S T I N G N O T E S
This wine presents with a bright pale straw hue and brilliant clarity. The nose is complex and expressive, offering layers of lemon curd, spiced apple custard, and delicate hints of vanillin. The palate shows the classic razor-sharp precision typical of Delamere - vibrant lemon and citrus are beautifully balanced by generous fruit weight and a creamy texture derived from frequent bâtonnage.