The fruit for the Aotea Nelson Chardonnay is sourced from the Rabbit Island vineyard, located on a wide river flat. The soil here is a gravelly sandy loam, historically marked as the site of Māori kūmara (sweet potato) beds before European settlement in the early 1800s. The Māori improved the soil for kūmara cultivation by spreading fine gravel and sand across the land and burning scrub to add ash and charcoal, which enhanced soil fertility and created the characteristic topsoil. Although modern farming has since reduced this fertility, the soils remain sandy and free-draining. Additionally, the vineyard benefits from a relatively high water table, ensuring sufficient underground water supply. Situated about 1.5 km from the sea, the vineyard enjoys moderated temperatures due to the coastal influence.

**Winemaker's Notes**

The ‘hen and chicken’ berries characteristic of the Mendoza clone of Chardonnay provide full tropical flavours to this wine. The fruit was harvested and promptly brought to the winery, where it was immediately pressed and cooled for a 24-hour settling period. After settling, the juice was racked and warmed before inoculation. Once the fermentation process began, the wine was gravity-fed into new, one-year, and two-year-old French barriques. Primary alcoholic fermentation took place in oak, followed by malolactic fermentation. During these fermentations, the barrels were periodically hand-stirred to build palate weight and structure. The wine was then left to rest on its yeast lees for an additional 10 months before being racked from the barriques and prepared for bottling.