Lake Chalice was established in 1989 with a vision of producing internationally recognised wines from the heart of the Marlborough region. It is owned by the Ibbotson family who are world renowned for their Saint Clair wines. At Lake Chalice they give their talented winemaker Chloe Gabrielsen free reign to produce her own distinct multi award winning wines. Taking a boutique approach she handcrafts parcels of fruit from single vineyards and crafts them into elegant, aromatic, fruit driven wines with a savoury touch. The property is certified as a ‘Sustainable Winegrower of New Zealand’.
The fruit for this wine was harvested from vineyards across the Wairau and southern Waihopai Valleys in Marlborough. The vineyards situated in the sheltered southern Waihopai Valley have well-draining clay over gravel soils, which offer good drainage and aeration. The clay soils have the capacity to retain positively charged nutrients, which are beneficial to plant health and add an element of growth restriction, keeping the Pinot Noir balanced in its growth. The clay and gravel soils also help to restrict berry size, creating thicker skins, which in turn leads to more flavour and better concentration. The vines are trained with two canes which further helps to obtain concentrated fruit flavours.
