The Keltern Vineyard was established in 1999. Sitting east of Maraekakaho and hugging the western edge of the Bridge Pa Triangle and the Ngaruroro river, this unique site has over time become synonymous with exceptional Chardonnay, earning it’s place amongst New Zealand’s finest with an un-paralleled consistency   in blind tasting success across multiple formats since the initial 2002 vintage.  Tasting Note  Displaying a brilliant straw and lime-tinted hue in the glass, the nose offers a fragrant and complex medley of ripe melon, citrus blossom and nougat, complemented by underlying notes of grilled nuts.   The palate is generous and mouth filling initially then the long line of concentration and natural acidity leads to a sustained and powerful finish. This wine will develop further complexity, mineral and toast like characters with careful cellaring.  Vineyard Data  Warm spring conditions in Hawkes Bay resulted in an early flowering in Chardonnay which set the tone for the  rest of the hot, dry summer as the regular viticulture milestones of the growing season all ticked by earlier than normal. Seasonal data indicated a growing season similar to 2020 at 1360 GDD’s and similar rainfall with the only difference the warmth of early spring in the 2021 season. Both vintages are cooler than 2018 and  2019 but still above the long-term average of 1303 GDD’S. The 2021 Chardonnay harvest was off to a record early start with Keltern vineyard picking starting in earnest on the 22nd of February, our earliest harvest date yet. Hand-harvesting of pristine fruit enabled a minimal intervention winemaking approach, allowing Keltern’s  unique characteristics to shine.  Soils & Viticulture  Located east of the Maraekakaho region in Hawkes Bay, directly in the path of cool air currents flowing from a mountain range to the west, the Keltern Vineyard is an inland site, buffered by the Ngaruroro River.  Established on an ancient riverbed planted in 1999, the vineyard has silt loams layered over red metals, including large free-draining gravel stones. The Keltern vineyard contains vines that range in age up to 21 years, mainly cl15, cl95 and cl548, and vines for the Single Vineyard bottling at maturity are pruned and thinned   to one bunch per shoot to target 7T/Ha. The parcel used for the 2021 Keltern Chardonnay is a single block of Cl15 vines that are 10 years old.  Technical Data  Vineyards: Keltern Vineyard, Hawkes Bay  Vineyard Yield: Range 7.0-7.5T Ha  Residual sugar in g/L: 1.24 g/L  TA: 7.74 g/L   Whole bunch pressing: 100%   Ferm. vessel: Fermented in 100% French Oak Barriques.   46% New with balance 1 & 2yr old  Maturation: 11 months in Barrique followed by 5 months in tank on lees  Malolactic: Some partial natural MLF. <25%   Clonal Selection: 100% Cl15  Varieties: 100% Chardonnay  pH: 3.21  Alcohol: 14.5%  Fermentation: 100% Wild, indigenous yeast  Bottled: 4th July, 2022  Battonage: From post ferment once every 3 weeks for the full maturation  Filtration: Sterile bell house filtration, one pass only