Seresin Chardonnay 2023: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Flinty & smoky

Seresin Chardonnay 2023 is a bone-dry, savoury and beautifully focused Marlborough Chardonnay with flint, grapefruit peel, yellow stone fruit, apple, lees spice and roasted nut complexity. It sits in the more elegant, mineral style of Chardonnay rather than the big buttery camp, with oak used for shape and texture rather than sweetness. Certified organic, certified biodynamic and vegan suitable, this is a serious white with poise, tension and a long slaty finish.

Highlights

• Certified organic, certified biodynamic and vegan suitable
• Crafted by Seresin Estate — one of Marlborough’s benchmark organic and biodynamic producers
• Flint, grapefruit peel, yellow stone fruit, apple, lees spice and roasted nut
• Raupo Creek vineyard fruit, wild fermented and matured for 9 months in French oak
• 93 points — Cameron Douglas MS; 5 Stars & 93/100 — Sam Kim; 90 points — Erin Larkin, Robert Parker Wine Advocate
• 13.5% ABV

Tasting Notes

Lifted and savoury with flint, grapefruit peel, yellow stone fruit, green apple, lemon pith, lees spice, vanilla and roasted nut. The palate is bone dry and focused, with medium body, bright acidity and a fine savoury texture from barrel and lees. It is complex without being heavy, finishing long with smoky mineral detail and a clean slaty line.

Winemaking

Certified organic and biodynamic fruit was hand-picked by clone in three batches, then whole-bunch pressed to tank before being racked to barrel. All batches underwent 100% wild fermentation and 100% malolactic fermentation. The wine was matured for 9 months in French oak, with 11% new oak, building savoury texture, spice and depth while keeping the fruit precise and mineral.

Vineyard & Vintage

This Chardonnay brings together two individual plots and three clones — 15, 95 and Mendoza — from Seresin’s Raupo Creek vineyard in Marlborough’s Omaka Valley. The clay-rich site is farmed following organic and biodynamic principles and has a gentle north-west facing aspect, high sunshine hours and low rainfall. The 2023 season was challenging, with smaller berries and bunches, but careful selection delivered clean fruit with concentration, focus and strong mineral drive.

Why We Love It

This is Chardonnay for people who love texture, restraint and detail. It has stone fruit and citrus, but the real beauty is in the flinty edge, lees spice, savoury oak and mineral finish. It is a smart dinner-table white: complex enough for special food, but clean and energetic enough to keep the glass fresh.

Food Pairing

This Chardonnay’s combination of savoury texture, bright acidity and smoky mineral detail makes it brilliant with seafood, creamy pasta, roast chicken, nutty cheeses and vegetarian dishes with cauliflower, leek, mushrooms or browned butter. It can handle richness, but it also loves citrus and salt.

Try matching this wine with →

• Barbecued crayfish tails with tartare sauce — Find a Recipe
• Lemon parmesan pasta with herbs — Find a Recipe
• Cauliflower cheese gratin with mustard and breadcrumbs — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

Open this when dinner deserves a white with a little gravitas: seafood on the barbecue, roast chicken, creamy pasta, candlelight and the good glassware.

Cellaring

Drink now to 2029. The wine already shows lovely savoury complexity, but its acidity, texture and concentration will allow it to develop more roasted nut, toast and citrus-oil notes over the next few years. Store in a cool, dark place with stable temperature for best results.

Producer

Seresin Estate is a pioneering organic and biodynamic producer based in Marlborough, New Zealand. Founded by cinematographer Michael Seresin in the early 1990s, the estate is known for hand-crafted wines made with a gentle, traditional approach and deep respect for the land. Raupo Creek vineyard in the Omaka Valley is farmed using organic and biodynamic principles, with clay-rich soils, a north-west aspect, high sunshine hours and minimal rainfall. The wines are built around texture, purity and site expression rather than heavy winemaking.

Related Wines To Try →

Love this flinty biodynamic Marlborough Chardonnay? These are textural, organic and food-friendly wines to explore next.

• Fresh organic Chardonnay with white peach, citrus and gentle toast — Tamburlaine Organic Grapevine Chardonnay
• Classic organic Chardonnay with white peach, melon and savoury oak — Angove Organic Chardonnay
• Same Seresin family, structured biodynamic Marlborough Pinot Noir — Seresin Leah Pinot Noir

FAQ

What does Seresin Chardonnay 2023 taste like?

Seresin Chardonnay 2023 tastes of grapefruit peel, yellow stone fruit, green apple, flint, lees spice, vanilla and roasted nut. It is bone dry, savoury and focused, with bright acidity and a long slaty finish. This is a complex Chardonnay with elegance rather than obvious butteriness.

Is this Chardonnay buttery or crisp?

It sits more in the savoury, flinty and mineral style than the rich buttery style. There is texture from wild fermentation, lees and oak, but the wine stays focused and fresh. The acidity is clear and the finish is dry, smoky and mineral.

Is Seresin Chardonnay organic or biodynamic?

Yes, this wine is made from certified organic and biodynamic fruit. The Raupo Creek vineyard is farmed following organic and biodynamic principles to support soil health, vineyard balance and site expression. It is also vegan suitable.

Is this wine preservative-free?

This wine is not listed as preservative free, and it contains sulphites. Customers looking specifically for No Added Preservative wines should browse the preservative-free range. Organic and biodynamic wines can still contain sulphites unless clearly labelled otherwise.

Does this wine contain sulphites?

Yes, this wine contains sulphites, with total SO₂ listed at 96 ppm. Most wines contain some naturally occurring sulphites, and many also use added sulphites for freshness and stability. Biodynamic and organic certification does not mean sulphite-free.

How should I serve Seresin Chardonnay?

Serve at around 10–12°C in a medium to large white wine glass. Avoid serving it too cold, as the flint, roasted nut and lees spice need a little warmth to open. No decanting is required, but 10 minutes in the glass will help the wine build aromatic detail.

What food pairs best with this Chardonnay?

It pairs beautifully with crayfish, prawns, roast chicken, lemon pasta, cauliflower gratin, mushroom dishes, creamy sauces and nutty cheeses. The acidity cuts through richness, while the savoury oak and lees texture echo roasted, grilled and buttery flavours. Vegetarian dishes with cauliflower, leek, mushroom or parmesan work especially well.

How long will it last after opening?

Once opened, reseal and store the bottle in the fridge. It should drink well for 2–3 days, especially if kept cold and tightly closed. Let it warm slightly before serving again so the texture and savoury notes can return.

Can Seresin Chardonnay 2023 be cellared?

Yes, this wine can be cellared in the short to medium term. Drink now to 2029 for a balance of fresh citrus, stone fruit, savoury oak and developing nutty complexity. Good cellaring will add more toasted, creamy and citrus-oil notes over time.

Is this wine vegan friendly?

Yes, Seresin Chardonnay 2023 is vegan suitable. That makes it a strong option for tables where organic, biodynamic and vegan-friendly wine choices matter. It is especially good with plant-based dishes that include cauliflower, mushrooms, leek, nuts or herbs.

Who will enjoy this Chardonnay most?

This will suit drinkers who love serious Chardonnay with flint, citrus, stone fruit, savoury oak and mineral acidity. If you enjoy Chablis, restrained white Burgundy, modern Australian Chardonnay or Marlborough whites with texture and precision, this is a beautiful fit. It is ideal for anyone wanting biodynamic Chardonnay that is layered without being heavy.

Is this wine keto friendly?

Yes. With residual sugar at 0 g/L, Seresin Chardonnay 2023 is about as keto-friendly as wine gets. As always, suitability depends on individual dietary goals and serving size.

(SKU: SR_CHA_CV)