Lawsons Dry Hills Reserve Chardonnay 2022

Lawson`s Dry Hills Reserve Chardonnay, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand, 2022

Grape: 100% Chardonnay (Mendoza clone), silt & river stone soil on Wairau Diversion, 17-21 year old vines, hand harvested, whole bunch pressed, wild yeast fermentation in French oak barrels (25% new), 10 months' barrel ageing

Producer Tasting Note:

This wine offers enticing aromas of lemon and peach with a light smokiness. Lovely concentration of fruit is enhanced by the French oak characters of vanilla and the extended lees contact adds toasted brioche and savoury flavours to the palate. An elegant, full-flavoured wine with a lovely, long finish. This powerful yet elegant wine will continue to develop favourably for some time, becoming more mellow with age. Enjoy from now and over the next five years. 

Critic's Tasting Note:

"There’s density and tension to this, with sliced cooked apples, pie crust and hints of butter and brioche. Full-bodied, tangy, rich and fresh. Drink now. Screw cap."  James Suckling, March 2924

Also awarded Gold Medal, The National Wine Awards of Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023 and Double Gold, New Zealand International Wine Show, 2023

Lawson’s Dry Hills is a "carbon neutral" boutique winery, close to Blenheim in New Zealand’s Marlborough region. It is part of the Family of Twelve, a fraternity of twelve of New Zealand’s most prestigious and enduring artisanal wineries.

The original company vineyard was planted in 1982 by Ross and Barbara Lawson, who launched the Lawson’s Dry Hills label some ten years later, in 1992. Today, the company’s wines range from Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir to Riesling and Gewurztraminer and are all made from fruit grown in the Wairau, Waihopai, Omaka and Awatere Valleys. These different regions and carefully selected vineyard sites provide varying characteristics derived from the different soils and microclimates, giving many options when it comes to blending to that much-anticipated Lawson’s style.

The dedicated bunch of people that make up the small team here are relaxed in company, yet passionate about their wines. They are very ‘hands on’, living and breathing every part of the viticultural and winemaking process and love to share their award-winning wines with others.

Food Match: Seafood, terrines and pates, risotto, chicken, pork and char-grilled foods, roasted vegetables, dishes with creamy or buttery sauces, pumpkin and other sweet vegetables.