Man O' War Valhalla Chardonnay 2021 (Man O' War)

Cellar for up to 6 years. Serve chilled. Set on New Zealand’s idyllic Waiheke Island, Man O’ War winery has 150 acres of vines spread across the island in remote settings overlooking the ocean. Valhalla is the golden hall in Norse mythology where Viking heroes go when they die to feast with the gods for eternity, and it’s also the name given to Man O’ War’s very finest barrels of Chardonnay each year. To create this wine the fruit is carefully selected and harvested by hand before being pressed and left to start fermenting with wild yeasts. The fermenting must is then transferred to 500 litre French oak casks where it is left to finish vinification. The young wine spends around 11 months ageing in cask before it is bottled prior to the new harvest the following year. Layers of mango, pineapple, stone fruit and zingy citrus define the nose along with hints of hazelnuts, woodsmoke and vanilla from the oak ageing. The first sip reveals a medium body, intense fruit flavours and a long finish with a silky texture and refreshing streak of acidity. A great wine to enjoy alongside roast chicken, rich pasta dishes, or even a generous platter of cheeses and charcuterie.