Bilancia Trelinnoe Vineyard Chardonnay 2021

Bilancia Trelinnoe Vineyard Chardonnay 2021

 

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Bilancia
Trelinnoe Vineyard Chardonnay 2021
  • Vintage : 2021
  • Country : New Zealand
  • Region : Hawkes Bay
  • Subregion :
  • Type : White
  • Style : Medium Bodied Aromatic Dry
  • Format : 75cl
  • Alcohol : 14°
  • Grappes : 100% Chardonnay

The Bilancia Trelinnoe Vineyard Chardonnay is a refined single-vineyard Chardonnay from Roys Hill, Hawke’s Bay, showcasing the unique terroir of the Trelinnoe Vineyard with a perfect balance of fruit and oak.

Experts Score Vintage
RP Robert Parker 96 2021
BC Bob Campbell MW 96 2021
JS James Suckling 95 2021
More information on wine critics and ratings

Region and Vineyards

The Trelinnoe Vineyard is located on the hillside terraces of Roys Hill in Hawke’s Bay. This site is unique for its sandstone over limestone soils, which provide excellent drainage and impart a distinctive mineral character to the wine. The vineyard is planted with UCD15 clone Chardonnay, known for producing fruit with great acidity and complexity.

Named after the owner's historical ties to Cornwall, the Trelinnoe Vineyard is part of Bilancia’s project to highlight small, single-vineyard sites that bring out the best in Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay. The site’s combination of climate and soil creates a wine with a refined structure and layers of flavor.

Winemaking

The Trelinnoe Vineyard Chardonnay is crafted with a minimal-intervention philosophy. The grapes are 100% hand-picked and then whole-bunch pressed to preserve the delicate fruit flavors. Fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts in French oak barriques, where the wine spends 11 months aging, allowing it to develop texture and complexity.

There is no fining or cold stabilization, ensuring that the wine retains its natural character and purity. The careful use of oak is intended to balance the wine’s fruit-driven profile without overpowering its freshness and minerality.

Tasting Notes

  • Color: Pale gold with bright clarity.
  • Aroma: Expressive aromas of citrus and stone fruit, with hints of minerality and subtle oak spices.
  • Palate: On the palate, the wine is bright and focused, with flavors of ripe fruit like peach and lemon, balanced by a refreshing acidity. The oak provides a soft, creamy texture without overwhelming the fruit, leading to a complex and elegant finish.
  • Finish: Long, clean, and mineral-driven, with lingering notes of citrus and light toast.

Did You Know?

The name Trelinnoe has historical significance, paying homage to the owner’s Cornish roots. The vineyard’s aerial view is depicted on the label, reflecting the importance of the vineyard site in the wine’s identity.

Wine Pairing Ideas

  • Grilled sea bass with lemon butter: The acidity and minerality of the wine cut through the richness of the butter, while the citrus enhances the flavor of the fish.
  • Roast chicken with rosemary: The creamy texture of the wine complements the savory flavors of roasted chicken and herbs.
  • Lobster with garlic butter: The wine’s bright acidity balances the sweetness of the lobster and the richness of the garlic butter.
  • Mushroom risotto: The earthy tones of the mushrooms pair beautifully with the wine’s minerality and subtle oak influence.

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.

Robert Parker (RP) : 96 Points (2021)
The 2021 Trelinnoe Chardonnay was tasted alongside the 2022, and this is such a valuable insight. This 2021 is tight and driven; it's really focused and precise. There's preserved citrus rind, beeswax, shavings of white chocolate, white pepper, cracked fennel seeds, hints of jasmine tea and laces of saline acidity holding it together through the finish. Superb wine. I love the flow and poise. Magic. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. It was a warm year but not many days over 30 degrees Celsius, but there was a lot of sun, and the harvest was quick and early. This is an excellent end to a trio of superb vintages: 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Bob Campbell MW (BC) : 96 Points (2021)
Taut, pure chardonnay with flavours of lemon curd, grapefruit and mineral - like licking marble. Impressive purity and subtle power. The wine has a seductive, ethereal quality that is difficult to describe but easy to appreciate. Should develop well with bottle age. Ageing: now to 2030.

James Suckling (JS) : 95 Points (2021)
Very complex with nougat, brioche, cooked apple, and white peach aromas and flavors. Full yet fresh. Layers of fruit and toasted oak character. Long, long finish. Terrific white. Drink or hold.

Bilancia La Collina Syrah 2020
Bilancia La Collina Syrah 2020
Bilancia
La Collina Syrah 2020
RP
98
BC
98
JS
99
Crafted from hand-harvested fruit grown on the sunny slopes of the la collina vineyard, the Bilancia La Collina Syrah delivers a captivating blend of black fruit, savory notes, and finely integrated oak, with the structure and depth to age gracefully.
105,00 €
Quantity : moins plus
Bilancia Tiratore La Collina Vineyard Chardonnay 2020
Bilancia Tiratore La Collina Vineyard Chardonnay 2020
Bilancia
Tiratore La Collina Vineyard Chardonnay 2020
RP
97
VN
93
BC
95
Bilancia Tiratore La Collina Vineyard Chardonnay is a beautifully balanced expression of Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay, delivering fresh citrus and stone fruit notes with a precise mineral finish, crafted from the renowned la collina vineyard.
67,00 €
Quantity : moins plus
Bilancia Uvaggio Field Blend 2021
Bilancia Uvaggio Field Blend 2021
Bilancia
Uvaggio Field Blend 2021
RP
93
The Bilancia Uvaggio Field Blend offers a refined expression of Rhône white varietals, with layers of stone fruit, floral notes, and a touch of minerality, crafted from hand-harvested grapes in the renowned la collina vineyard.
67,00 €
Quantity : moins plus
Bilancia Chardonnay 2022
Bilancia Chardonnay 2022
Bilancia
Chardonnay 2022
JS
96
RP
92
BC
93
The Bilancia Chardonnay is a beautifully crafted expression of Hawke’s Bay, delivering a balance of ripe stone fruit and vibrant citrus, with a refreshing acidity and elegant oak integration. This wine exemplifies the purity and finesse of New Zealand Chardonnay.
35,00 €
Quantity : moins plus
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