Whitewolfe Estates KC4 Chardonnay 2023

Whitewolfe Estates KC4 Chardonnay 

Region: North Downs, Kent, England

Vintage: 2023

Bottle size: 75cl

Grape: Chardonnay

ABV: 12.5%

This wine has remarkable energy and minerality, with complex aromas of Amalfi lemon, flint and struck match. The palate is medium bodied. Layers of fresh citrus peel, brioche and flint are complemented by creamy mouthfeel, leading to a layered and elegant finish.

The south-facing ‘Whitewolfe’ vineyard has a micro-climate that helps protect against heavy rains. Weather fronts that approach from the River Medway split just before the vineyard and largely fall on land on either side, increasing the vineyard’s average temperature. The North Downs shields it from the cooler northeasterly winds, but also traps warmer air from the southeast, resulting in a longer, more consistent ripening period. The soils, which are clay-loam over chalk, drain freely and retain heat. The single guyot trained vines were planted in 2020 using seven different Chardonnay clones (predominantly Burgundy clones) to express different characteristics of the site. Each block is managed according to the specifics of its clone.

The grapes were harvested by hand and separated by clone. Each Chardonnay clone was fermented separately in a majority of second fill Burgundy barrels with about 10% new oak. Different yeasts and press fractions were tailored to each clone’s characteristics. ‘KC4’ Chardonnay was predominantly clones 76, 95 and 121, with the former bringing elegance and structure and 121 bringing freshness. A small proportion of clones FR155 was also included for their intense aromatics. The wines were aged for 11 months in barrel before blending and bottling. Blending was determined by careful barrel selection, with the barrels showing bolder minerality and savoury flavours used for the final blend of ‘KC4’.