Felton Road Chardonnay Bannockburn 2024

Aromas of oak with a fluffy nuance

Chardonnay from the prestigious Felton Road, committed to natural winemaking.

Grapes from above ground are moved to barrels below. Gravity is used to gently press the juice, and the wine is made.

A wonderful coexistence of fruit and barrel.

This wine, with its fruit flavors and a delicate, savory hint of oak, pairs perfectly with pork dishes such as roast pork or salted pork.

About the Winery: "Felton Road"

"Felton Road" is one of New Zealand's leading wineries. It began in 1991 when Stewart Elms established the "Elms Vineyard" in Bannockburn, Central Otago.

Later, winemaker Blair Walter was invited to join, and the first Pinot Noir was released in 1997. The wine quickly captivated wine enthusiasts worldwide, and Felton Road became a top winery, achieving world-class acclaim.

While Central Otago is now a renowned region recognized by wine lovers globally, Felton Road is the pioneer that brought this region to international attention through its Pinot Noir.

Branding Modeled After Burgundy

At Felton Road, wine series are distinguished by the specific vineyard where the grapes are sourced. Even for grapes of the same varietal harvested in the same year, multiple varieties are released based on "differences in the vineyard."

This is because even within the same Central Otago region, each vineyard has a unique soil personality, and these differences influence the quality of the grapes, as well as the aroma and taste of the wine.

When grape sourcing is limited to specific vineyards, production quantities become restricted, often resulting in "rare wines" and higher prices.

This is a traditional branding strategy practiced in the Burgundy region of France.

NZ's Pioneer in "Gravity-Flow Systems"

Felton Road, emphasizing the power of nature, cultivates all its vineyards using biodynamic farming and employs a more natural winemaking approach.

Of particular note is the "gravity-flow system."

This technique involves utilizing natural gravity as much as possible, without using machines, during the process of harvesting grapes and fermenting wine.

While it has been adopted by many advanced wineries worldwide in recent years, Felton Road was an early adopter of this system in New Zealand, aiming for more natural winemaking.

About the Central Otago Region

Central Otago, the southernmost wine region in New Zealand, is renowned for its Pinot Noir and is considered one of the "world's top three Pinot Noir regions," alongside Burgundy and Oregon.

Beyond Pinot Noir, efforts are focused on cultivating aromatic white grape varieties. This region is unique among New Zealand's wine regions as the only one with a semi-continental climate, characterized by significant diurnal temperature variation, coolness, and extreme dryness.

It is also home to many small-scale wineries, and winery tours based in the scenic town of Queenstown are popular.

Felton Road Chardonnay Bannockburn 2024