Pyramid Valley Lion’s Tooth Chardonnay North Canterbury – 2020

We received a minsicule allocation of this wine – maximum 3bts per customer. 

Pyramid Valley are probably New Zealand’s most exciting “newcomers” of the past few years, making some of the most impressive Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays outside Burgundy. Situated about 50kms north of Christchurch on New Zealand’s South Island, their cool climate, high altitude vineyards are based on a mix of clay and limestone soils. The vineyards were planted in 2000 and have been cultivated biodynamically ever since. In 2017 the winery was sold to Steve Smith MW, one of New Zealand’s most accomplished winemakers and formerly the head winemaker at Craggy Range. At 20+ years of age, the vines are now beginning to show their true potential. These are fantastic, single site, terroir-expressive wines and seriously good value alternatives to Burgundy!

“Lion’s Tooth hails from a two-acre vineyard only 100m from Field of Fire, but this time it has more calcium and active lime in the soil, and it is more easterly facing and slightly warmer. Interestingly, the grapes ripen at the same time as Field of Fire. This is another sour lime and raucous herb-steeped wine. There is more obvious fruit intensity coupled with a more elevated ripeness level. With this larger volume of flavour, there is also more muscle and brawn. Less obviously elegant than Field of Fire, Lion’s Tooth will be a slow mover, and it will blossom in time and will end up being a glorious, full wine with whip-crack acidity stanchioning the fruit.” 18.5/20pts Matthew Jukes

“More stony on the nose than the Field of Fire, like stonedust.  Very pithy, less toasty. A little less flinty than Field of Fire. Great freshness and it’s intense in a super-tight and salty way, with a lightly creamy texture. The most stony/mineral of the wines. Great length. Most salty of all of the Pyramid Valley whites. More limestone = more tension? Fabulous length. So young but gorgeous already.” 18/20pts Jancisrobinson.com