Pyramid Valley2022 Lion’s Tooth Chardonnay, Pyramid Valley
South Island, New ZealandVintage: 2022
Pyramid Valley, established by Mike and Claudia Weersing, is a boutique powerhouse in Waipara’s limestone-rich Omihi Hills. They harness old vine Mendoza clones (planted 1982–1990) on cool clay soils to craft site-specific Chardonnay known for its balance of finesse and depth.
The 2022 Lion’s Tooth Chardonnay is a world-class wine and a benchmark New Zealand Chardonnay for lovers of site-expressive wines.
In the glass, it opens with a bouquet of white blossom, lemon curd, and ripe stone fruit, underpinned by flinty reduction and hints of cashew and crushed seashells. The palate is taut and energetic, offering a seamless interplay between citrus, nectarine, and wet stone minerality. A silky, gently oxidative texture from wild ferment and extended lees ageing adds depth, while the wine’s brisk acidity and restrained oak frame the fruit with precision.
Lion’s Tooth takes its name from the abundance of dandelions, often dismissed as weeds, that grow freely among the vines, a nod to the estate’s biodynamic ethos, where such plants are seen as vital contributors to soil health and ecological balance.
Notable Awards
96 points – James Suckling “Pure and polished aromas of lemon confit, lime curd, chalk and orange blossoms… medium-bodied with tightly wound flavours of grapefruit peel, flint, dough, green apples and pastry cream… High tension… Excellent. Drink or hold.”
Whats in the bottle
Chardonnay 100%
12 Mixed Bottles *
£82.80
Save £9.20
* As part of a mixed case of any 12 bottles
Free UK delivery on orders over £250. Free South Wales delivery on orders over £100
Tel : 02922 337454
Purchase & earn 92 points!
Description
The wines of Pyramid Valley are born in the dramatic limestone and clay-derived soils and slopes of the estate farm in Waikari, North Canterbury. A unique high-altitude site that is home to some of the most profound Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines in the world. Mike and Claudia Elze Weersing spent 15 years searching the world to find this perfect place, which they finally purchased in 2000. Together, Mike and Claudia created remarkable wines for close to 20 years that have been recognised the world over. Fast-forward to 2017, when good friends Brian Sheth and Steve Smith realised their long-held vision of realising a wine dream together – to craft impeccable wines and inspiring experiences they could share – by purchasing Pyramid Valley. In 2018, Estate Manager and Winemaker Huw Kinch took on the role of guiding the new chapter at Pyramid Valley. The wines are produced from the original vineyards in North Canterbury as well as in Central Otago from the Pyramid Valley Mānatu vineyard, named after the ribbonwood (mānatu) tree. The launch of the 2022 Botanicals collection represents the pinnacle of their achievements at Pyramid Valley. Each wine is named after the common colloquial name of the meadow plant dominant in its respective vineyard block, and since their release in 2006, they have created a new dimension for fine New Zealand wine, illustrating the incredible impact of this remarkable vineyard on the sense of wine. They are wines that truly breathe of their place.
Crushed and soaked for 2 hours prior to pressing. Wild ferment in aged French oak barrels. 12 months on lees in barrel, then aged on light lees for 5 months in stainless steel prior to bottling unfined and unfiltered in September 2023
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