This is Man O War's flagship chardonnay and a great statement of a powerful wine. It shows complex savoury aromas supported by quality oak and typical fruit characters found at the ripe end of the Chardonnay flavour spectrum; grapefruit and marmalade characters with hints of apricot characters derived from a small amount of noble berries in the bunches. The palate has good weight balanced with vibrant acidity and freshness on the finish. A savoury complex wine that will reward time in the glass to open.

Drink now to 2014.

2010 Vintage

• 4 Stars - Michael Cooper’s Buyers Guide 2012
• 90+ POINTS , from e-Robert Parker with Lisa Perrotti-Brown, November 2011 "The 2010 Valhalla Chardonnay has moderate toasty/cedary, apricot and melon notes over roasted almond and peach kernel. Full bodied ,rich and satiny with great concentration, it has a nice acid line that continues through the long finish. Drink it now through 2015+"
• BLUE GOLD MEDAL - Sydney International Wine Competition 2011
• 95 POINTS , Gourmet Wine Traveller, October/November 2011 "Flagship Chardonnay from a top Waiheke Vintage. Plenty of power and flavour all supported by tangy acidity. It has pleasant minerality plus ripe tree fruit, savoury yeast lees and spicy oak flavours."
• SILVER MEDAL - New Zealand International Wine Show 2011

2009 Vintage

• GOLD MEDAL - International Wine Challenge 2011 "Vibrant honeysuckle and passion fruit aromas on the nose. Bold and inviting with fresh, zingy lime and ripe white peach fruit. Lovely minerality and whistle clean finish. A very pure style of wine."
• SILVER- Spiegelau International Wine Competition 2011
• 96 POINTS - Gourmet Traveller Wine, BobCampbell MW June/July 2011
• 4.5 Stars - Michael Cooper’s Buyers Guide 2011 "Grown at the far, eastern end of the island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf and matured for a year in French oak casks (40 per cent wine), the bright, light yellow 2009 vintage is a tightly structured, very youthful wine with good acid spine and rich, citrusy peach flavours, slightly nutty, minerally and long. Showing good intensity and poise, it’s one for the cellar."
• 94 POINTS, Jamie Goode, www.wineanorak.com, July 2010 "From the older vineyards; 100% barrel fermented; 30% new oak,some 500 litre barrels. Mineralic, taut and wonderfully complex withsome lovely subtle matchstick notes, as well as rich, bold pear and peach fruit. The palate is fresh, complex and mineral with spicy pear notes and some citrus freshness. Complex nuttiness, too."