The TIKI is a hand carved Maori treasure which, when gifted, bestows good fortune and love on others. We craft our wines with the same spirit in mind. Our Single Vineyard wines are made in the vineyard and are an expression of time, place and people.

“There is a lot going on in this wine, yet it carries it well. Concentrated flavours of baked stone fruits and creamy complexity punctuated with toasty, spicy wood moments. Multi-layered, the wine has impressive length, complexity and a dry finish” Cuisine Magazine 2018

Displays a delicate, pale straw green, with an elegant blend of aromas of Chardonnay fruit, integrated toasty oak and yeast lees along with subtle malolactic fermentation aromas. A complex Chardonnay made from the best Mendoza clone grown at elevation in Hawke’s Bay. The wine is exhibiting strong varietal flavours supported by fullness and creaminess derived from extended time on yeast lees in barrel. Full malolactic fermentation has helped to soften the wine and this, combined with the flavours of the best oak barrels provides a wine of density and depth.

The growing season weather conditions were perfect for bringing the Chardonnay fruit to full maturity while still retaining a good level of natural acidity to ensure freshness and flavour. Thanks to the earlier maturity of this block the fruit was able to be picked before the mid-season rains that occurred this year. The soil is a mixture of 10,000 year old volcanic ash and deep red metals overlaying limestone, creating low yields and extremely concentrated fruit flavours.

The fruit was harvested at optimum ripeness and transported quickly to the winery. It was then gently pressed using a Champagne cycle with no press cuts. Pressing was followed by cold settling to clarify the juice. The clear juice was fermented in 43% new French Oak Barriques with a specific Chardonnay yeast that enhances complexity. It then went through a full malolactic fermentation to add further complexity and softness to the palate. After ferment, the wine was aged on yeast less with fortnightly stirring to encourage extraction of yeast mannoproteins to aid with palate weight and roundness.

This wine will continue to develop for a further 5 years. Peak drinking is from 2018-2021. 

Food Pairing: Perfect with light and delicate food such as raw and lightly cooked shellfish like prawns, steamed or grilled fish, fish pâtés, fish, chicken or vegetable terrines and pasta or risotto with spring vegetables.