Tohu Whenua Awa Single Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay 2018

Tohu Whenua Awa Single Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay 2018French oak Summer fruits Hazelnut Richly textured "A complete bouquet with layers of fresh yellow stone fruits and barrel spices, theres also roasted nut and some butterscotch qualities, vanilla and a touch of burnt butter. Equally complete on the palate with a youthful silky touch then impact from wood adds breadth and texture with some fine tannins. Acidity lifts the fruit back to centre stage and carries the flavours throughout the palate. Weight

• French oak
• Summer fruits
• Hazelnut
• Richly textured

"A complete bouquet with layers of fresh yellow stone fruits and barrel spices, there’s also roasted nut and some butterscotch qualities, vanilla and a touch of burnt butter. Equally complete on the palate with a youthful silky touch then impact from wood adds breadth and texture with some fine tannins. Acidity lifts the fruit back to centre-stage and carries the flavours throughout the palate. Weight and nicely rich in flavours and textures, nutty with some wood flavours, vanilla, and textured complexity. Best drinking from day of purchase through 2029. A wine that holds onto its character and freshness, ageing slowing and will reward those who buy" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Aug 2023

Aromas of juicy ripe nectarine and soft smoky oak. Richly textured palate of integrated summer fruits and juicy citrus backed by hints of hazelnut and flint. Seamless balance, refinement and length.

Select fruit from the 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.

The 2018/2019 growing season began with unsettled weather that brought plenty of rain during flowering and resulted in slightly lower yields. A combination of warm and wet Summer provided challenges for the vineyard. Ripe clean fruit was ready for harvest on Mar 2018.

Hand-harvested grapes, gently whole-bunch pressed. Unsettled juice then moved to old French oak puncheons for fermentation. Fermentation with natural ‘wild’ yeasts, with a cultivated yeast added part way through fermentation to assist the wine to dryness. Post-fermentation, each barrel underwent twice weekly batonage (lees stirring). 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.