Waikari, North Canterbury
Viticulture
Planted between 2000-2002 at high density of 11,111 vines/ha and farmed bio-dynamically from inception, Lion's Tooth is a steeply inclined, 0.4ha block on east-facing, limestone-clay slopes with great mineral fertility.
30% clay, 15-20% active lime.
Winemaking
Foot stomped and whole bunch pressed. Vineyard yeast ferment, aged in French oak barrels. 20 months on lees in barrels, then aged on light lees for 6 months in stainless steel prior to bottling unfined and unfiltered in June 2022.
Tasting notes
Golden straw colour with a bright Meyer lemon hue. Sunny aromas, with nectarine and buttercup sitting amongst the mandarin, ripe lemon and fresh cashew nut. Immediately open and concentrated on the palate, grilled stonefruit, lemons, marscapone, flowering thyme, oatmeal biscuit and distinctive grilled cashew nut; richness is ever present then becomes confined by the feel of limestone chalkiness and salt.
Our 2020 Lion’s Tooth Chardonnay is proudly one of the world’s first origin-verified wines. We partner with Oritain to scientifically trace the geochemical fingerprint* of our wine back to the unique clay and limestone-rich soils of the vineyard block it is named after.
