These tasting notes accompany our feature on Marlborough as part of our New Zealand 2020 series
White
Kono, Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Marlborough, New Zealand, Dry White, Screwcap, 13.0% abv(2020) Ripe pear and passion fruit, lots of pear juice clarity and good acidity, lots of pear and a touch of sugar to sweeten. Price and stockist for the previous vintage at time of review.
(2020) More herbaceous punch than the Kono Sauvignon, plenty of orange and zestiness, and a peach juice freshness and juiciness. Price and stockists for a previous vintage at time of review.
(2020) Organically farmed. A little more stony, passion fruity, maybe that 2018 touch of dilution, but there is intensity of tropical fruit on the palate and good balance. No UK retail stockists at time of review.
Tohu, Whenua Matua Albariño 2019
Nelson, New Zealand, Dry White, Screwcap, 13.5% abv(2020) From Nelson, there’s spices and some funky nuances, toast and a little fruit skin grip. The palate has a grippiness again, a little phenolic grip and a juicy fruit profile and acidity.
Tohu, Pinot Gris 2019
Marlborough, New Zealand, Dry White, Screwcap, 13.5% abv(2020) From the Awatere Valley, quite a tanky pear aroma, pear drop, the punchy flavours are all there, a nice bit of texture, lovely flavour but needs a bit of time to settle down. No UK retail stockists at time of review.
Tohu, Whenua Awa Pinot Blanc 2019
Marlborough, New Zealand, Dry White, Screwcap, 13.5% abv(2020) Wild ferment, a little oak, but the toast comes over quite strongly on the palate, nutty, flinty, has a sweet ripe, good texture, finishing with salty acidity and plenty of ripe, juicy pear. No UK retail stockists at time of review.
Tohu, Whenua Awa Chardonnay 2017
Marlborough, New Zealand, Dry White, Screwcap, 13.0% abv(2020) Fermented in 500-litre puncheons. A lot more reductive in style, very flinty, gunflint and smoke, the juiciness is lovely here, a spiky hit of grapefruit, the acid drives the end of this, and it has huge presence. No UK retail stockists at time of review.
Tohu, Whenua Matua Chardonnay 2017
Nelson, New Zealand, Dry White, Screwcap, 12.5% abv(2020) From Nelson. Fermented in barriques. Creamy oak and slatey, flinty components to the fore. The fruit is sweet and ripe, but has a great thrust of lemon zest. Grapefruity and vibrant. No Uk stockists at time of review.
Red Wines
Tohu, Pinot Noir 2017
Marlborough, New Zealand, Dry Red, 12.5% abv(2020) From the Awatere Valley, upper Awatere and vineyards around the winery. Polished, soft garnet/ruby, Nice rhubarb and beetroot hint of vegatility, a little mushroom, the dry cranberry, earthiness and herbaceousness, but there is a rounding of smoky oak and spices into a long finish.
Tohu, Whenua Awa Pinot Noir 2017
Marlborough, New Zealand, Dry Red, Screwcap, 13.0% abv(2020) Slightly more density to the colour than the straight Tohu Pinot. An earthiness and spices and seeds, a touch of mineral/stony character that is interesting. Good fresh fruit, lots of tangy and juicy fruit, juicy tangy acidity. No UK retail stockists at time of review.
Tohu, Whenua Matua Pinot Noir 2017
Marlborough, New Zealand, Dry Red, Screwcap, 13.5% abv(2020) From Nelson, this spends 10 months in French oak, 20% new. An orangey, light pomegranate and cranberry, small, red berry fruit. Lots of sweetness to the fruit, but a sour orange and marmalade bite of acidity, very firm tannins, a touch of endive or liquorice. Again very nice smokiness, juiciness and savoury red fruit. No UK retail stockists at time of review.
Back to Tohu profile in our feature on Marlborough