Tohu Whenua Awa Single Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay 2020

Description

Grapefruit, Oak, Smoke

Aromas of juicy ripe stone fruit, pink grapefruit and soft smoky oak. Richly textured palate of fresh citrus and juicy summer fruits, with hints of toasted hazelnut and flint. Complex, irresistible wine with seamless balance, refinement and length.

We are tangata whenua – people of the land. We are intrinsically connected to our whenua that we protect, nurture and love.

Select fruit from our Awa Block, Awatere Valley, fermented in 500L French oak puncheons to create integrated body and complexity. Flinty, fruity and generous. Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand. Awa (River) Block. Planted 2010. 1.10ha. Silt-loam terraced block renowned for its long, cool ripening period.

A superb growing season with above average temperatures and minimal rainfall. Ideal harvest weather throughout March, with warm days and cool clear nights allowing grapes to be harvested at perfect ripeness and in pristine condition.

Hand-harvested grapes, gently whole-bunch pressed. Unsettled juice then moved to French oak puncheons for fermentation. Fermentation with ‘wild’ yeasts that are naturally found in the vineyard. Post-fermentation, each barrel underwent weekly batonage (lees stirring). Natural malolactic fermentation occurred once the weather warmed in the spring. Individual barrel assessment, with only the best deemed exceptional enough to make the final blend.