Benjamin Laroche Chablis Organic 2022 vs Villa Maria Keltern Vineyard Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2022

Villa Maria Keltern Vineyard Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2022

Villa Maria Keltern Vineyard Chardonnay is a wine from one of New Zealand's premier Chardonnay sites, with an impressive history of accolades. This release shows a brilliant straw and lime-tinted hue, with fragrant aromas of white nectarine, flint and subtle toasty complexity. The palate is sleek and tightly woven, gradually unfurling to a finish of length, precision and class. Why You'll Love It This is single-vineyard Chardonnay at its finest—elegant, precise, and beautifully refined. The Keltern Vineyard, established in 1999, has earned a reputation as one of New Zealand's premier Chardonnay sites, consistently producing wines of distinction. Its unique location and meticulous viticulture have made it synonymous with premium Chardonnay in New Zealand. The result is a wine with exceptional finesse, concentration and ageing potential. Vineyard & Production Situated east of Maraekakaho in Hawke's Bay, the vineyard lies directly in the path of cool mountain air currents, moderated by the Ngaruroro River. This inland site sits on an ancient riverbed of silt loams layered over red metal soils, scattered with large, free-draining gravel stones. These conditions create a distinctive terroir that contributes both finesse and concentration to the wines. The Chardonnay is fermented exclusively with indigenous yeasts in French barriques, 27% new, with the remainder one to two years old. It then matures for 10 months in barrel, developing texture, complexity and balance. Tasting Notes This elegant Chardonnay displays a brilliant straw and lime-tinted hue. The nose is fragrant with aromas of white nectarine, flint and subtle toasty complexity. The palate is sleek and tightly woven, fine-boned yet powerful, carried by a taut structure and mineral precision. The finish is exceptionally long, showing length, precision and class. Perfect Pairings A versatile food wine, perfect with seared turbot, grilled veal chops with wild mushrooms, lobster, scallops, or creamy pasta. Also exce