PRESTIGIOUS DECANTER WINE AWARDS NAMES TOHU CHARDONNAY BEST IN SHOW

The wine industry is raising its glass to Nelson’s Tohu Wines – the only New Zealand winery to win a Best in Show award at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 for its Whenua Matua Chardonnay 2018, a single-vineyard wine grown in the rich clay soils of the Upper Moutere region.

The award is a major achievement for Tohu, the world’s first Māori-owned winery, its Whenua Matua Chardonnay standing out amongst more than 18,000 wines from around the globe that were judged, with only 50 being awarded the Best in Show accolade.

Decanter said that this year, some awards went to lesser-known styles from top producer nations. “New Zealand is renowned for Sauvignon Blanc, but it was Tohu’s Whenua Matua Chardonnay from Nelson that won a Best in Show medal. ” Tohu also took out a Gold Medal for its 2020 Tohu Sauvignon Blanc.

The organisers said New Zealand Chardonnay has been quietly building its successes down the years, and it’s not unusual to hear wine trade insiders confess that it is, in the end, their favourite Kiwi variety.

Tohu winemaker Bruce Taylor says that like the other wines in the Whenua series, the Chardonnay is all about showcasing a single vineyard.

“Whenua Matua translates as ‘significant lands’ and the changing angles and orientations of the vineyard blocks lend themselves to the complexities of winemaking. The wine is selected from the very best barrels of our hand-picked, whole bunch pressed 15-year-old Chardonnay vines. These single vineyard wines hold great structure, exceptional varietal characteristics, texture and complexity. We’re really happy to have this wine representing the best possible expression of Chardonnay.

“As kaitiaki, or guardians of our lands, we have spent a lot of time on our vineyards, understanding and nurturing each of the blocks. We’re using this intimate knowledge of the land to create premium single vineyard wines,” he says.

The Decanter World Wine Award wins come hot on the heels of success for the winery at the Royal Easter Show Wine Awards last month, with the Whenua Awa Chardonnay claiming gold and winemaker Bruce Taylor being named Winemaker of the Show.

Tohu Wines was established in 1998 and around 200,000 cases of wine are produced at its winery in the Awatere Valley. Tohu is owned by the Kono food and beverage company based in Te Tauihu at the top of the South Island and exporting its products to over 40 countries. Alongside Tohu, Kono’s brands include Annies Fruit snacks, Tutū Cider, Kono Mussels and Kiwa Oysters. Kono also grows grapes, apples, pears, kiwifruit and hops, and supplies sustainably caught fish via its Yellow Brick Road business.

Kono CEO Rachel Taulelei says the company is immensely proud of winning the Decanter Best in Show award.

“The Chardonnay is a special release for us and follows on from our 23 year celebration last year. Each wine in the Whenua series is an expression of the uniqueness of our tūranagawaewae, our standing place, and our connection to the land.

“To be acknowledged and singled out from thousands of wines in such a prestigious wine competition is confirmation that care for the land and its bounty is tōtika, a beautiful balance.”

Tohu Whenua Matua Chardonnay 2018 (RRP $34.99) is available to buy from www.tohuwines.co.nz and Tohu Awatere Sauvignon Blanc (RRP $17.95) is sold at local supermarkets or specialty grocery stores.