Responsible Hedonist "Pop a Wheelie White" Chardonnay 2022

NEW ZEALAND : NORTH ISLAND : HAWKE'S BAYORGANIC : ChardonnayMED-BODIED, APPLE, PEAR, CITRUS, WHITE FLOWER, NO OAKTwo Chicago sommeliers — Diana Hawkins and Frank Lepera — relocated to New Zealand in 2017 so Diana could complete a Master's in Wine Science at the University of Auckland. They landed in Hawke's Bay and never left. The region earns the attention: warm days, cool Pacific nights, and mountain-shielded growing seasons that preserve acidity naturally — a place where unoaked Chardonnay doesn't need engineering to taste complete.Pop a Wheelie is native yeast, stainless steel, low sulfur — and nothing else. Early-pick fruit from the Bridge Pa Triangle's clay and loam soils comes in with acidity intact; wild fermentation adds texture without weight. The 2022 ran to 60 cases. Apple and pear up front, citrus driving the palate, white flowers on the nose — the profile that normally requires an expensive Burgundy address, from a two-person operation making fewer than 6,000 bottles a year total. Pour this for the customer who says they don't like Chardonnay.PAIRINGS : Roast chicken with lemon and herbs fruit weight matches the fat; acidity keeps the pairing clean Grilled sea bass the lean citrus line is built for white fish Spicy Thai green curry freshness and floral character cut through heat better than an oaked Chardonnay would

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