Unfiltered Chardonnay, Newton Vineyards, 2007

Su Hua married Peter Newton in 1972 and moved to America the same year, in California she worked alongside her husband at Sterling Vineyard. Together they helped put Napa Valley on the map as on of the world's greatest wine regions. In 19878, after the sale of Sterling Vineyard, Su Hua began to dream of a winery that could wholly encapsulate her own personal philosophy of winemaking. This took shape in the form of sustainable farming techniques and careful attention to detail, preservation of the natural habitat and restriction of the use of synthetic pesticides, chemicals and fertilisers. Newton bottle most of their wines unfiltered and unfined, to avoid stripping the wine of its unique aroma and flavour. During growing season, Su Hua can be found ascending the unforgiving slopes of Spring Mountain, examining the vines. She is also to be found there every day during harvest, analysing and tasting the grapes. She believes that wonderful wines are the product of wonderful vineyards, that is to say, the product of their terroir.

A rich and powerful wine that opens up with masses of crème caramel and vanilla bean aromas, progressing on to baked apple and nutty characters. The palate is white peach and caramel, with a flourish of honey. Balanced, creamy and full bodied. Would go fantastically with something like a lobster bisque.