Saint Clair Estate was founded in 1978 by Neal and Judy Ibbotson. This winery is still owned by them today. The winery stands for consistent quality. Every year, Saint Clair wins a string of medals, and the winemaker regularly receives awards. In 2005 and more recently in 2010, Saint Clair was named the best New Zealand winery. Saint Clair is quite well-known in the Netherlands, and they are proud of that. Saint Clair specializes in producing top-quality Sauvignon Blanc. Saint Clair owns over 270 hectares of vineyards in Marlborough on the South Island and in Hawke's Bay on the North Island.
The grapes for this Chardonnay are carefully selected from various quality vineyards to achieve the highest quality. The goal is to select the right fruit to add complexity and fullness, as well as balance and unique characteristics to the final wine.
The harvest is hand-harvested in the cool of the morning, giving it a wonderfully fresh flavor! The grapes come from various Marlborough vineyards, including the Omaka Valley and Lower Wairau Valley. Fifty percent of the wine undergoes fermentation in French oak barrels. The wine then matures for a further eight months in a combination of French and American oak barrels. This gives this Saint Clair its delicate aromas of pear, almond, and grapefruit, along with hints of spice and honey. The palate of this Chardonnay is full-bodied, with hints of stone fruit and grapefruit, nutty, spicy oak, and a long finish.
