2022 Pyramid Valley 'Lion's Tooth' Chardonnay
The jewel in Pyramid Valley's crown, Lion's Tooth is a single plot of Chardonnay planted on the Pyramid Valley estate in North Canterbury.
The history of Pyramid Valley runs deep and these wines have earned cult status with good reason. Started by Mike and Claudia Weersing in the early 2000s on what started as a perfect soil-finding mission, they settled on bare land near Waikari, inland North Canterbury, chosen for its unique aspect and its clay and limestone-rich soils. Initially planted just 4 specific plots of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, 'Lions Tooth' is a nod to the dandelions found in the vineyard ("dentes-de-lion" in French meaning 'Lions Tooth'). Sadly Mike is no longer with us but Pyramid Valley is now under the custodianship of Steve Smith, Master of Wine, whose knowledge and expertise in winemaking and viticulture is unparalleled.
The vines here are tended to organically and biodynamically, the grapes harvested by hand, and the wines are wild fermented and then matured in aged French oak. Always unfiltered and unfined too, these are 'natural' wines though this was never the objective - minimal intervention simply serves as what they believe is the best method to convey what comes from this unique vineyard. What you have is a wine with beautiful richness, complexity and minerality. A very complete, rounded wine with perfect concentration of flavour, balance and length.
Season summary
Under the influence of La Nina, the vines had good growth and good flowering conditions which resulted in solid yields. 200mm in February had us on edge, but diligent viticulture and a dry March and April allowed us to hang the fruit out till the end of April and achieve optimum ripeness. The resulting wines are an elegant expression of our Waikari farm.
Tasting note
Pale lemon straw hue. Mineral complex nose of mandarin, cashew nuts, and crushed limestone. Great depth. Taught, focused flavours envelop the palate. Lemon curd, mandarin peel, nutty flavours unfold. Great length and drive with saline acidity.
Viticulture
Planted from 2000-2002 at 11,111 vines/ha and a second planting in 2018, farmed biodynamically from inception. Steeply inclined, east facing home block. Beautiful soils, with nut and crumb structure and great mineral fertility: 30% clay, 15% active lime. Harvest date: 28 April 2022.
Winemaking
Crushed and soaked for 2 hours prior to pressing. Wild ferment, in aged French oak barrels. 12 months on lees in barrel, then aged on light lees for 5 months in stainless steel prior to bottling unfined and unfiltered in September 2023.
