2024 Whitehaven Chardonnay – Cashew, stone fruit, and elegant oak notes from Marlborough

The Whitehaven Marlborough Chardonnay 2024 blends grapes from two premier vineyards in Rapaura: Balvonie on Wratts Road (58%) and Whitehaven on Pauls Road (42%)—both located in the heart of Marlborough’s finest Chardonnay terroir. Four carefully selected clones, led by the classic Mendoza (75%), create the characteristic complexity that sets this wine apart. The 2024 vintage was marked by a dry winter and a season with little rainfall: lower fruit set resulted in more concentrated berries, a clean, healthy crop, and an unusually early harvest from early to late March. The result is a Chardonnay of impressive density and elegance.

In the cellar, the process begins with gentle hand-harvesting and immediate whole-cluster pressing, with the heavy pressings kept separate to ensure the greatest possible purity. The free-run juice is clarified overnight in stainless steel tanks before fermentation begins. For malolactic fermentation, the must is transferred to French oak barrels—22% of which are new, 10% one-year-old, and the rest older, primarily 500-liter puncheons—which lend the wine texture without overpowering it. After complete malolactic fermentation, the Chardonnay ages on its fine lees for ten months before being blended into the cuvée in the tank, filtered, and bottled.

What makes the 2024 Whitehaven Chardonnay so special?

This Chardonnay derives its complexity from the interplay of two first-class Rapaura vineyards and four genetically distinct clones—led by the viticulturally renowned Mendoza clone (75%), known for its fullness and aromatic depth. Through full malolactic fermentation and ten months of aging on the fine lees in predominantly older puncheons, the wine develops a creamy, round texture without losing any of its freshness. It bears the coveted Marlborough Wine (AMW) appellation certificate, which attests to its origin from one of Marlborough’s precisely defined subregions. Furthermore, it is certified vegan and produced in accordance with the guidelines of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand—a wine with a clear conscience and a clear origin.

So, how does the 2024 Whitehaven Chardonnay taste?

In the glass, it displays a bright straw-yellow color. The nose is inviting and expressive: fresh citrus and yellow stone fruits—peach, nectarine—blend with subtle smoky notes and delicate hints of cashew and hazelnut. On the palate, the wine is fresh and lively, with a medium- to full-bodied profile and a pleasantly round, smooth texture. Citrus and yellow stone fruits carry the long finish, accompanied by cashew aromas and a well-integrated, subtle hint of oak that adds structure without overpowering the wine.