Blank Canvas Reed Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay 2023
This is an incredibly textured wine that boasts a bounty of fleshy white nectarine and orchard fruit, and a grainy, honeyed richness, perfectly balanced by vibrant acidity and notes from oak ageing. A complex and layered wine that is perfect for drinking now but will also benefit from cellaring.
The Reed vineyard is home to growers Pete and Anne Reed. Situated at the mouth of the Waihopai Valley, they first planted vines on their land in 2001. The vineyard is planted with 100% Clone 95 Chardonnay, a Burgundian clone that Matt Thomson thinks is ideally suited to Marlborough, which has been top-grafted onto ancient Gewurztraminer vines - so while the top grafting is young, the vine roots go deep. Matt particularly likes this clone for its intense flavour, modest sugar levels and aromatic complexity.
Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes were gently whole-bunch pressed with the very cloudy free-run juice going to new and seasoned French oak puncheons (500 litres), approximately 40% new oak. There it eventually commenced fermentation with ambient yeast and was left to complete both primary and natural malolactic fermentation without disturbance. It was carefully racked out of oak to spend a further several months on light lees before being bottled without fining or filtration.
| RRP | £35.99 |
| Bottle size | 75cl |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Alcoholic strength | 13.5% |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Marlborough |
| Grapes | Chardonnay 100% |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Stelvin Lux |
Founded in 2012, Blank Canvas is a collaboration between Master of Wine Sophie Parker-Thomson and award-winning winemaking consultant Matt Thomson. Over 45 years of collective experience, in the global wine industry, has enabled them to seek out exceptional single vineyards, while their mutual love of the world’s fine wines has formed the inspiration for Blank Canvas. Together they craft exciting, small batch wines that are at the forefront of New Zealand’s fine wine scene.
Although they work with vineyards and growers across New Zealand, Blank Canvas’ focus is firmly rooted in their home region of Marlborough. Sophie is the current Chair of Appellation Marlborough Wine™ (AMW), and Blank Canvas is a founding member of this first-of-its-kind New World organisation. Promoting and upholding quality standards for its members, and the wines certified each year, ensures consumers are guaranteed a Marlborough wine of provenance, quality and authenticity. The Blank Canvas range of single-vineyard Marlborough wines highlight the nuances between Marlborough’s diverse subregions, which are delineated in the AMW Wine Map of Marlborough.
