Lake Chalice The Falcon Marlborough Riesling

A refreshing Riesling with enticing aromas of ripe lemon and citrus accompanied by distinctive mineral nuances.  Harmoniously balanced with great structure.

Producer Note

Lake Chalice was established in 1989 with a vision of producing internationally recognised wines from the heart of the Marlborough region. New Zealand’s native falcon, the ‘Kārearea’, is proudly displayed on every bottle of Lake Chalice wine. Kārearea favour the remote mountains and foothills of the upper Awatere and Wairau valleys and these valleys are home to Lake Chalice’s three unique vineyard sites. Each vineyard has a diverse microclimate, biodiversity and terroir which are seamlessly translated into multi award winning wines by talented winemaker Chloe Gabrielsen. Taking a boutique approach she handcrafts parcels of fruit from single vineyards into elegant, aromatic, fruit driven wines and has garnered a global reputation of outstanding quality.

Vintage

Winter was not a particularly cold one, however some colder frosts were recorded during May and June; fortunately warming sunshine during the day alleviated pressure. Some showery weather was experienced in December, but after January the rain departed and settled weather arrived, bringing with it very warm temperatures and excellent conditions for harvest.

Vineyard

The fruit is sourced from vineyards located in the Blind River area of the Awatere Valley and from Lake Chalice’s Falcon Vineyard in the Wairau Valley. The mature vines are at least 25 years old. The berries are carefully selected at harvest time and are picked at an average of only 19.8 Brix, in order to retain the fresh citrus flavours. The vineyard’s stony, sandy soil results in low yields of intensely flavoured fruit from a combination of different pruning methods.

Winemaking

The grapes underwent a long, cool fermentation under temperature controlled conditions. Fermentation was arrested in order to create an off-dry style.

Tasting Note

A refreshing Riesling with enticing aromas of ripe lemon and citrus accompanied by distinctive mineral nuances. Harmoniously balanced with great structure and a long, lingering finish.

Serving Suggestion

A refreshing apéritif or delicious with spicy dishes such as Thai green curry.

Grape

Riesling 100%