Lake Chalice Wines
Launched in 1989 by Chris Gambitsis and Phil Binnie, Lake Chalice produces
quality Marlborough wines from four key vineyard sites, as well as sourcing fruit from several
carefully selected contract growers. Under the watchful eye of winemaker Matt Thomson, Lake
Chalice vineyards yield small quantities of intensely flavored fruit that is carefully crafted
into a range of delicious, character-filled wines that emphasize depth and length of flavor.
Lake Chalice ’s label features the endangered Karearea bird (New Zealand falcon). Lake Chalice is a major
sponsor of the Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust, which works to preserve New Zealands’s raptors.
Quick Facts
OWNER: Phil Binnie, Chris Gambitsis, and Matt Thomson
WINEMAKER: Matt Thomson
APPELLATION: Marlborough
VINEYARD AREA: 74.5 acres total. There are 44.5 acres in the Wairau Valley (
Falcon Vineyard, 27 acres, Quarry block 15 acres, Home Block 2.5 acres) and 30 acres in the
Eyrie Vineyard in Cowslip Valley (off Waihopai Valley)
WEB SITE: http://www.lakechalice.com
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Featured Wines
2006 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc2007 Marlborough Riesling
Bouquet: Passionfruit, honey, and citrus.
Palate: Honeysuckle and citrus, with underlying mineral notes and a long, smooth finish.
Serving Suggestions: Versatile with food, especially well-suited to seafood, white meat, and spicy, ethnic dishes.
Bouquet: Bright passion fruit and citrus.
Palate: Fresh and lively lemon zest with mineral notes in the long, lingering, zingy finish.
Serving Suggestions: Excellent as an aperitif. Versatile with food, especially well-suited to seafood and white meat. Serve lightly chilled.Reviews and Awards
"This wine had an intriguing green-leaf, slightly oily aroma, with a burst of pungent grapefruit. On the Palate it was quite ripe but a bit softer than some of the other sauvignon blancs, with milder acidity. Lively but nicely proportioned, this struck me as somewhat of a crowd pleaser. It would serve as a fine complement to raw shellfish."
Sandy Block, Improper Bostonian - Oct/Nov 2007
90 points "2006 Lake Chalice Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand -- I generally love SBs from New Zealand, and this one doesn't disappoint. The color is pale Silver Award and yellow, the aroma a fresh burst of grapefruit: POW! The taste is what we love about wine from this country ... all there, big but balanced, tons of grapefruit citrus and a little smoke on the finish."
Mark Tarbell, Arizona Republic - November 20062006 Marlborough Pinot Noir
Bouquet: Cherry and red currant.
Palate: Black cherry supported by fine oak, with nuances of raspberry and earth. Medium-bodied, with a full, soft palate, well-balanced acidity, and a lingering finish.
Serving Suggestions: Pasta with Mediterranean flavors (red onion, feta, olives, mint), lamb.Reviews and Awards
Bronze Medal -- 2007 NZ International Wine Show
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