2025 International Wine Challenge 94 Points

“Fragrant and upfront lemon, pear and blossom. Youthful appeal, juicy and inviting.”

2025 International Wine Challenge, 30 May 2025

 Colour:
 Pale straw.
 Aroma:
 Concentrated aromas of spice, toasted 
cedar and savoury notes with a hint  
of vanilla.
 Palate: 
Generous and rich with a luxurious 
mouthfeel. The palate has a complex 
array of flavours with savoury notes, 
ripe peach, preserved lemon and a 
toasty finish.
 Ageing Potential:
 Drinking beautifully now, this wine  
will continue to evolve and reward  
over the next five to ten years with 
careful cellaring.
 Viticulture:
 Sourced primarily from Saint Clair’s 
vineyards in Marlborough’s Omaka 
valley where a combination of warm 
days, cool nights and clay based soils 
contribute to greater retention of 
fruit flavours.  The fruit is a blend of 
Chardonnay clones, predominantly 
Mendoza and Burgundian Clone 95. 
The vines were monitored carefully 
during ripening and hand harvested 
at optimum flavour maturity and 
physiological ripeness. 
Winemaker
 Stewart Maclennan

Winemaking:   
The fruit was lightly whole bunch 
pressed and the juice fermented in a 
mixture of American and French oak 
barrels, seventeen per cent of which 
were new, using selected yeast strains. 
The wine underwent malolactic 
fermentation, followed by nine months 
aging on yeast lees with regular stirring. 
Only the very best barrels were selected 
for the Omaka Reserve Chardonnay.
 Wine Analysis:   
Alcohol 13% v/v
 Residual sugar 2.36g/L 
Acidity 5.8g/litre
 pH 3.11
 Food Match: 
The perfect accompaniment for 
succulent roast chicken with lemon 
and garlic.