GLOBAL WIN FOR TOHU WINES

New Zealand-based producer Tohu Wines, the world’s first Māori-owned winery, has won a Best in Show award for its Whenua Matua Chardonnay 2018 at the Decanter World Wine Awards, bringing great mana/respect and prestige for the company. Judged by international industry experts, the Deacanter World Wine Awards is the largest wine competition in the world, and winning a medal has significant meaning for the team that grew and made the wine. The Whenua Matua ('Significant lands' in te reo) wine is a single-vineyard expression grown in the rich clay soils of the Upper Moutere in Nelson, a barrel selection made from hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed 15-year-old chardonnay vines. “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,” says chief winemaker Bruce Taylor.