2024 Kenzie Beautiful Strangers Orange

Description

Mangatahi – 74% of blend

The Mangatahi vineyard sits on ancient river terraces formed by the braided Ngaruroro River. Planted in 2006, the terraces consist of greywacke stone with a topsoil based of volcanic ash, alluvial gravels and silt loams.

Located inland and between two mountain ranges the organically farmed vineyard benefits from low rainfall, warm days and cool nights.

Raukawa – 26% of blend

Planted in 2003, the organic Paritua vineyard sits on an old riverbed of gently rolling and flat land beneath the limestone rich Raukawa hills.

The soils are made up of free draining “red metal” gravels overlaid by alluvium derived by loess, volcanic ash, greywacke and limestone.

Accompanied by high sunshine hours and low rainfall, this site is perfect for red varieties.

Season

Two cool seasons prior to 2024, coupled with a reasonably wet and cold spring of 2023 led to low bunch numbers and a long flowering period. Small, open bunches and low yields were the result, which isn’t a great thing for the wallet but is amazing for quality.

The rest of the 2024 season was near perfect, with bright, warm days and cool nights producing amazingly balanced and vibrant fruit characters while holding on to brilliant texture and acidity.

Winemaking

47% – Pinot Gris            27% – Chardonnay        26% – Sauvignon

In late February handpicked 809 (Muscat clone) Chardonnay from Mangatahi was destemmed and sent to a small open fermenter to lay on skins with gentle hand plunging, once a day. After 18 days it was pressed to tank to go through malolactic fermentation.

Almost 2 weeks later the Mangatahi Pinot Gris was 100% destemmed, fermented on skins for 17 days before pressing.

Then in mid-March a small amount of Raukawa Sauvignon was destemmed to another fermenter for 10 days of soft extraction before pressing to tank.

Once the Sauvignon had settled in tank for a week, all 3 varieties were blended and sent to large old barrels, where it matured for 3 months at cool temperatures, before being racked to tank for bottling.

No fining or filtration. Minimal sulphur was added two weeks before bottling.

Alc – 11.5%

Tasting note

Floral, red berry, orange zest and musk. The skin contact has provided light herbal, savoury notes to the nose. Juicy, yet dry at the start, this wine flows into stone fruit and tangy grapefruit with a fresh, saline finish and mild tannin