Chardonnay, Jules says, is the variety she can play with most as a winemaker — her style is about balance, not excess: citrus, stone fruit and nuttiness up front, oak present in the background but not overplayed, with brioche and creaminess from time in barrel. What she loves most is how the wine keeps changing in the bottle — proof, as she puts it, that "it's a product that does change with time."
Tasting Notes:
• A style built on balance – citrus, stone fruit and nuttiness with oak present but never dominant.
• Brioche, baked notes and creaminess from time in barrel.
• Genuinely ages well – Jules loves to see the evolution in the bottle over time.
JULES TALKS CHARDONNAY
What does Jules look for in the perfect Marlborough Chardonnay?
FOOD MATCH
The delicious flavours in this wine are fantastic to pair with food.
It’s great with this "flammkuchen" - an Alsatian style of pizza (get the recipe here!). Or alternatively try it with a simple barbequed chicken or with fresh seafood flavours such as crayfish (lobster) tails and garlic butter.
Get the recipe
It’s great with this "flammkuchen" - an Alsatian style of pizza (get the recipe here!). Or alternatively try it with a simple barbequed chicken or with fresh seafood flavours such as crayfish (lobster) tails and garlic butter.
WINEMAKERS NOTES
Jules' take on Chardonnay leans to elegance and finesse, allowing the bright Marlborough fruit character to shine through.
Citrus | Mascarpone | Hazelnuts | Baked apple.
Picked 17-27th March 2025
13.49% Alc | 1.6g/L RS | 3.36 pH | 5.6g/L TA
AROMA & FLAVOUR
Bright citrus aromas of lemon and mandarin rind combine with white floral blossom notes and crisp, cut apples, all complemented by a touch of toasted almonds and spice. The palate is ripe and juicy with elegant citrus and stone fruit flavours. Wild ferment and barrel aging have added complexity and texture, whilst retaining vivid acidity that leads to a focused, mouthwatering finish.
VINTAGE NOTES
A strong El Nino weather pattern dominated in 2024, causing strong westerly winds and warm, very dry conditions down NZ’s east coast. Flowering was relatively poor, and it quickly became clear that the harvest would be much smaller than 2022 or 2023. Warm weather began in mid-December and continued right through to March, causing one of the shortest ripening periods on record. However clear, cold nights retained fruit acidity during ripening. Harvest was short and sharp. All the 2024 fruit was packed with flavour and absolutely no sign of disease due to the amazing growing conditions. It was an ideal vintage!
VINIFICATION
The fruit for this wine came from the two beautiful vineyards in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys: Meadowbank Estate in the Taylor Pass and the Anderson Vineyard in the Brancott valley. Whole cluster pressed portions went directly into French oak barrels for a wild ferment on high solids. Other portions were tank fermented and some were cold settled and partially tank fermented and then sent to barrels mid-ferment. The yeast lees in the barrels were stirred very occasionally over a ten month period to add body and complexity, and the wine underwent full malolactic fermentation to add further complexity.
Is this wine vegan-friendly?
Yes - all of Jules' white and rosé wines are vegan-friendly.
Does this wine see any oak?
Yes - but only lightly - around 10% new oak, just enough to add texture without oak flavours dominating the fruit.
Is this a dry or sweet wine?
Dry, with the emphasis on fresh citrus and stone fruit.
Will this wine improve with age?
Yes - Jules has said that this is a wine that genuinely changes in the bottle, taking on new layers of nutty complexity over time
Where do the grapes for this chardonnay come from?
Jules picks Chardonnay from two sites in Marlborough's Southern Valleys: The Meadowbank Estate in the Taylor Pass, and the Anderson Vineyard in the Brancott Valley.