From the winemaker…
The wine has a complex nose showing hazelnut and walnut, ripe citrus zest and citrus blossom with hintsof lemon brioche. The palate is fabulously full rich with a supple vein of lively acidity lending support to creamy oak tannins.
Elegance and power!
The Riflemans Vineyard is set on a beautiful, elevated river terrace. Our grapes have always thrived there – and, in the early days, so did the birds. With no other food source for some distance they gorged daily on our precious fruit.
We responded with equal fervour, brandishing shotguns while riding the quads or walking the block. When we’d successfully harvested and pressed to barrel, we chalked up ‘Shotgun Chardonnay’ on the barrelheads.
When it came to bottling we decided on a more positive spin and called the wine Riflemans – the name of a little known native bird, whose Maori name, Titipounamu, means Little Greenstone.
Our widely-acclaimed Riflemans Chardonnay is the pinnacle of our craft and truly reflects the sacred place of its origin. Grown in a remote location on a beautiful, elevated terrace overlooking the white cliffs of the Tutaekuri river. The soil is a mixture of 10,000-year-old volcanic ash, deep red metals and limestone. These mature vines produce exceptionally concentrated fruit resulting in consistently complex and distinctive Chardonnay.
2017 Sacred Hill Special Selection Riflemans Chardonnay Tasting Notes
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2017 Vintage: Cameron Douglas (93 Points)
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2016 Vintage: WINE OF SHOW, White Wine of Show & Trophy (Six Nations Wine Challenge 2018)
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2016 Vintage: Bob Campbell (97 Points)
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2016 Vintage: Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine (97 Points)
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2016 Vintage: Michael Cooper (5 Stars)
Why we like it…
A powerful and fruity Chardonnay. Elegant, balanced with great length. This is a prime example of just how good Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay can be.
