Luta Wines Chenin Blanc "Vale" 2023

Rob and Kate Burley have since 2019 been organically farming a picturesque 5.5 Hectare vineyard in Nelson, planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris & Riesling. As the ‘Unkel’, they always allow the wine to do the talking, leading its own life through fermentation and ageing in the winery providing what they believe is the most honest expression of the fruit that they started with.

Luta wines are a recent addition to their Unkel Wines range & are wines made from a selection of barrels that they believe tell the story of the unique Moutere clays & the organic vineyards in which these vines are farmed. These are aged for longer at every step, from barrel to tank and again in the bottle, prior to release.

‘Luta’ - derived from Lutum, the Latin word for clay - pays reference to the Moutere clays where the grapes are grown.

Grape Varietals & Region: 100% Chenin Blanc from Nelson, New Zealand. Grown on clay soils in the Upper Moutere in Tasman from the Unkel vineyard, planted on gravel & threaded clay

Taste Profile: Yuzu, kaffir lime and honeysuckle lead into ripe feijoa and a whisper of beeswax. Bright and mouth-watering with fine phenolics, it finishes pure and creamy with a lingering saline edge.

Winemaking Process: The fruit for this wine was whole-bunch pressed and settled overnight before being racked to and fermented in a mixture of old Puncheon and barrique. Aged on lees for 10 months, then racked to stainless steel where it was aged for a further 6 months