Collaboration Verdant Chardonnay 2022

Collaboration Wines is a boutique Hawke's Bay producer led by winemaker Julianne Brooks, who focuses on small-lot expressions that highlight vineyard character and regional diversity. The Verdant range showcases single-site Chardonnay crafted with precision and finesse.

For the 2022 vintage, Chardonnay was sourced from a limestone-rich site near Maraekakaho. Grapes were whole-bunch pressed and fermented in French oak barrels, followed by thirteen months of maturation on lees with regular batonnage to build depth and texture. This approach integrates subtle oak influence while preserving freshness and clarity.

The finished wine offers layered citrus and nectarine fruit with notes of toasted hazelnut and brioche. A chalky mineral thread, derived from the limestone soils, provides tension and length, making this Chardonnay both elegant and structured with excellent cellaring potential.

Tasting Profile

Palate:

Brioche, Hazelnut

Food Pairings:

Cheese

Fish

Poultry

Shellfish