Bilancia Chardonnay 2022

Region and Vineyards

The Bilancia Chardonnay is sourced from three distinct vineyards in Hawke’s Bay: la collina and Trelinnoe at Roys Hill, and Kaikora in Central Hawke’s Bay at Ōtāne. Hawke’s Bay is known for its warm climate, which is ideal for growing Chardonnay. The region’s sunny days and cool nights help the grapes develop ripe flavors while maintaining a refreshing acidity, essential for producing well-balanced Chardonnay.

Each vineyard contributes different characteristics to the blend, with fruit from each site hand-picked and kept separate during fermentation to preserve their unique terroir.

Winemaking

The winemaking process for Bilancia Chardonnay begins with whole-bunch pressing, allowing for a gentle extraction of juice. Some of the juice goes directly into barrels from the press, while the rest is settled in tanks. Fermentation occurs in a mix of new and older French oak barrels, where the wine remains for 11 months. No fining is done before bottling, ensuring the wine retains its natural texture and character.

The goal of the winemaking process is to create a wine that speaks clearly of the Chardonnay grape, focusing on freshness and balance. This approach emphasizes a food-friendly style with a clean line of acidity.

Tasting Notes

• Color: Pale gold with bright reflections.
• Aroma: The nose is expressive with aromas of stone fruit (peach, apricot) and citrus (lemon, lime), supported by subtle notes of oak and minerality.
• Palate: On the palate, the wine is well-balanced with flavors of ripe stone fruit and citrus, complemented by a creamy texture from the oak aging. There’s a nice line of acidity running through the wine, giving it freshness and length.
• Finish: The finish is long, with lingering notes of citrus and a touch of toasted almond from the oak influence.

Did You Know?

The name Bilancia is derived from the Italian word for balance, reflecting the winery's philosophy of producing wines that harmonize all elements—fruit, acidity, and texture—into a perfectly balanced expression. This is also a nod to the star sign Libra, shared by the winemakers.

Wine Pairing Ideas

• Grilled salmon with lemon butter: The wine’s acidity cuts through the richness of the salmon, while the citrus notes enhance the lemon butter.
• Roast chicken with herbs: The creamy texture of the wine complements the roasted chicken, and the herb seasoning matches the wine’s subtle oak flavors.
• Pasta with cream sauce: The Chardonnay’s acidity balances the richness of the cream, while its stone fruit flavors add depth to the dish.
• Cheese platter with Brie and Comté: The creamy, soft cheeses are a perfect match for the wine’s texture and fruit-forward profile.

History of Bilancia

Bilancia was founded in the late 1990s by winemakers Warren Gibson and Lorraine Leheny, both of whom have extensive experience in the wine industry. Warren has worked across New Zealand and internationally, including prestigious roles in France and Australia, while Lorraine brings her expertise from her background in Australian winemaking. Together, they envisioned creating a winery that focused on balance in all aspects of winemaking, from vineyard to bottle.

The name Bilancia, meaning balance in Italian, reflects the winery’s philosophy of harmonizing fruit, acidity, tannin, and oak to create wines of depth and finesse. This idea of balance also refers to the Libra sign, emphasizing the precision and care taken in every decision, from vineyard management to harvest. Since its founding, Bilancia has become one of the most respected boutique wineries in New Zealand, known for its terroir-driven wines, particularly from the la collina vineyard.

Region and Vineyards

Bilancia is based in the Hawke’s Bay region, one of the most diverse and important wine-producing areas in New Zealand. Hawke’s Bay benefits from a warm maritime climate, long sunshine hours, and cooling sea breezes, creating an ideal environment for Chardonnay, Syrah, and other varieties. The region’s diverse soils, including limestone, sandstone, and alluvial gravels, contribute to the complexity and variety of the wines produced here.

The winery’s flagship vineyard, la collina, is located on the steep slopes of Roys Hill, a site with limestone-rich soils that are perfect for producing wines with structure and minerality. The vineyard's location, with its well-draining slopes and optimal sun exposure, allows for low yields of intensely flavored fruit. The Syrah grown on this vineyard is particularly renowned for its balance of floral aromatics, dark fruit, and spicy undertones, while the Chardonnay reflects the site’s minerality and precision.

Additionally, Trelinnoe Vineyard on Roys Hill contributes to Bilancia’s Chardonnay portfolio. The vineyard’s sandstone over limestone soils impart a crisp acidity and a mineral-driven profile, while the careful selection of clones like UCD15 ensures a complex and age-worthy wine. These sites are managed with an eye toward sustainability, ensuring the long-term health of the vines and the land.

Wine Range

Bilancia is particularly known for its Chardonnay and Syrah, with a strong focus on expressing the individual characteristics of each vineyard.

• La Collina Syrah is the flagship red, known for its intensity, balance, and complex flavors of dark fruit, spice, and floral notes. This wine is crafted from the steep hillside vineyard, benefiting from careful vineyard management and minimal intervention in the winery.

• Tiratore Chardonnay is another standout, offering a refined, mineral-driven expression of Chardonnay from the la collina vineyard, with bright acidity and subtle oak integration.

• Uvaggio Field Blend is a unique white blend of Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne, showcasing the winery’s Rhône varietals with a focus on texture, freshness, and aromatic complexity.

• Trelinnoe Vineyard Chardonnay is a small-production, single-vineyard wine that highlights the sandstone and limestone soils of Roys Hill, offering crisp acidity, stone fruit flavors, and a mineral backbone.

Did You Know?

The name Bilancia reflects the winery’s focus on balance and harmony, not only in the wine itself but also in the vineyard and winemaking process. The la collina vineyard was once used as a firing range, and old bullets were found during the vineyard’s establishment, inspiring the name of their Tiratore Chardonnay, which means "marksman" in Italian.