Tasting Notes for Paxton NOW Preservative Free Chardonnay 2023 from the Winery

100% Chardonnay. Colour: sparkling straw yellow. Aroma: A fruit salad of native finger lime, pear d’Anjou, delicately decorated with sprigs of wild spearmint, elderflower and a touch of tarragon.

NOW by PAXTON stands for NATURAL ORGANIC WINE. The consumer market demand has been growing steadily for No Added Preservative and Natural wines. As leaders in organic production, it was obvious that Paxton needed a product for this category. In addition to Natural & Organic, we wanted to make a young, drink NOW style of Chardonnay.

Vintage Notes

Low and slow. The 2023 growing season was a time for viticulturalists to show off their impressive skills. From a cold and wet, seemingly never-ending winter to a Spring which seemed like it was still winter, a long, cool Summer which seemed like Spring, challenges were abound. Numerous climatic challenges including cool and windy weather during flowering, one of the wettest Springs for 30 years and even more windy weather in Summer meant that crops were small but our organic and biodynamic farming methods paid off — our vines showed incredible resilience to whatever came their way. A season that was around three weeks late on average and had a much slower ripening period means that 2023 wines show great acid, complex layers of delicate flavours, lightness, brightness, and longevity.

Bouquet

A fruit salad of native finger lime, pear d’Anjou, delicately decorated with sprigs of wild spearmint, elderflower and a touch of tarragon.

Palate

Bright and bouncy like jumping for the clouds on a backyard trampoline. This Chardonnay sits up straight but has a sneaky scrumptious and vibrant feel once allowed to relax.

Vinification

Selector harvested in the cool of the night once the grapes have reached optimum sugar and flavour equilibrium. Whole berry pressed and fermented between 15C-18C. Post primary fermentation, the wine is left on fine lees throughout and after malolactic fermentation, stirred weekly to increase mouthfeel and creaminess and protect the wine from oxidation. The wine is bottled after only a couple of months ageing in stainless steel tanks to preserve the beautiful fruit flavours.

No sulphur dioxide or preservatives were added in the making of this wine, however, sulphur dioxide is a natural by product of the fermentation process.

Variety: Chardonnay 100% Organic | Biodynamic | No Added Preservatives

Region: McLaren Vale

Colour: Sparkling straw yellow

Cellaring: Drink “NOW”

Alcohol: 13.0%

(SKU: PX_NWC_CV)