A serious, site-driven expression of Central Otago Chardonnay, the Terra Sancta Riverblock Chardonnay 2024 comes from a tiny, north-facing one-hectare vineyard overlooking the Kawarau River in Bannockburn.

Planted in 2005 to three premium Chardonnay clones – Mendoza, B95 and B548 – Riverblock occupies an exceptional site of alluvial schist intersected by a rare seam of limestone, an unusual feature in Central Otago. These mineral-rich soils, combined with the cool climate and mature vines, give the wine its distinctive combination of concentration, tension and minerality.

The 2024 vintage saw a particularly dry summer in Bannockburn, with cool nights helping maintain freshness as the fruit ripened steadily towards harvest in late March. Despite challenging winds and a January frost, Terra Sancta's sheltered sites performed extremely well, producing fruit of excellent vibrancy and complexity.

Hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed, the Chardonnay was wild fermented in French oak, with 75% matured in large-format puncheons and 25% in barriques. The wine spent ten months in barrel, including a natural four-month spring malolactic fermentation, with minimal bâtonnage. It was bottled unfined.

Pale straw in the glass, the 2024 Riverblock opens with complex aromas of bergamot, citrus, butterscotch, flint and brioche. The palate is vibrant and beautifully balanced, bringing together citrus zest, starfruit and white florals with a fine, chalky texture and persistent mineral character. The finish is long, precise and memorable.

This is sophisticated cool-climate Chardonnay: powerful without being heavy, textural without sacrificing freshness, and driven by the distinctive mineral character of its Bannockburn site.