15-Jan-2016
The Chardonnay wines from Spy Valley are classical Marlborough expressions. While the ‘Spy Valley’ is fruit-expressive, complexing inputs from wild yeast, barrel-fermentation, lees contact and MLF provide considerable interest. The ‘Envoy’ bottlings are given more free rein, and the complexing inputs have more say, lending a greater level of complexity. Winemaker Paul Bourgeois pushes the style envelope with the ‘Envoy’ wines, and in doing so, produces wines with more sophistication, and the lessons learned in doing so find their way into the ‘Spy Valley’ bottlings. Thus the styles of both brands are constantly growing. Here, I review the 2014 vintage Chardonnay wines. Paul notes the wines carry good levels of acidity for what seemed a warm vintage, which I see as a positive trait for freshness. www.spyvalleywine.co.nz
