2025 Ochota Barrels 'Control Voltage' Chardonnay

Control Voltage is Ochota Barrels’ most charged and finely tuned Chardonnay: a tiny selection of the best micro-parcels from the vintage, built around tension, current, and mouthwatering drive. The name feels literal in the glass — this is Chardonnay with an electric line across the palate, where energy and precision matter as much as texture.

The fruit is handpicked in mid-March and pressed with full solids straight to Burgundian barriques, followed by indigenous yeast fermentation and weekly bâtonnage. Crucially, the wine does not undergo malolactic fermentation; it is filtered to retain natural malic acid, preserving its sharp, nervous frame while the lees work adds depth and complexity. Production is extremely limited, with only around 425 bottles produced.

In the glass, it shows a bright straw-gold colour. The nose is precise and high-toned, with lemon peel, white peach, green melon, brioche, almond, subtle sulphide, and restrained oak. On the palate, it is taut, mineral, and intensely mouthwatering, with layered texture from bâtonnage but no softness from malo. The finish is long, saline, and wired with acidity.

This is Chardonnay as voltage: not creamy comfort, but controlled electricity — powerful, textural, and sharply alive.

Perfect with shellfish, roast chicken, lobster, lemon butter dishes, richer fish, alpine cheeses, and mushroom-based dishes.

Serve: 10–12 °C
Drink: 2026–2034