Fistonich Family Vineyards – The Resurrection of Sir George

GlengarryIssue 290 pg. 44

A name synonymous with leadership in wine, Sir George Fistonich
A name synonymous with leadership in wine, Sir George Fistonich

A name synonymous with leadership in wine, Sir George Fistonich has a history of success but has always operated with an eye on the future. In 2021, not content with retirement, Sir George embarked on a new venture: Fistonich Family Vineyards, fuelled by his passion for viticulture, winemaking, developing future talents and creating world-class brands.

Today, Fistonich Family Vineyards owns incredible vineyards across Hawkes Bay and Marlborough, including Cornerstone in the Gimblett Gravels and Ballochdale in the Awatere Valley. And on the horizon, Sir George is poised to unveil his flagship winery brand, crafted from his cherished Terraced vineyard site in Bayview, Hawkes Bay. It is a significant site for the New Zealand wine industry that Sir George himself meticulously planted over three decades ago.

Chief Winemaker Michelle Richardson is known for her extraordinary ability to translate the essence of a country, region, vineyard, or even a single row into the vibrant expressions in the wines she crafts. What is truly exciting for the New Zealand and Hawkes Bay wine scene is the winery restaurant and cellar door that will come in 2024. Envision sunlit patios stretching before you, overlooking terraced vineyards and the South Pacific Ocean.

As Fistonich Family Vineyards begins to build a diverse wine portfolio, the initial offerings are dedicated to providing a joyful and delicious range of crowd-pleasing wines. Among the first wines to be released are the Obliix and Forest Flower Collection wines.

As October rolls around, watch this space as Sir George unveils his flagship winery brand. This is an exciting new chapter in the legacy of Sir George Fistonich and his visionary contributions to the world of wine. As soon as the wines are ready in October, you’ll be the first to know and we’ll have them right here at Glengarry.

Also see Čuvar Winery.

Nelson’s Tohu Wines the toast of New Zealand

Nelson’s Tohu Wines are the toast of the New Zealand wine industry after taking out a coveted ‘Best in Show’ prize at the 2021 Decanter World Wine Awards.

Over the course of two weeks of rigorous wine-testing in London in June, Tohu’s Whenua Matua Chardonnay stood out from amongst the 18,000 wines judged, to win one of the 50 Best in Show accolades.

As the only New Zealand winery to receive a Best in Show award, it was a major achievement for Tohu – the world’s first Māori-owned winery.

French wines dominated the Best in Show category with 15 awards, along with nine from Spain and seven from Italy.

Decanter organisers said while New Zealand was more well-known for its Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand Chardonnay had been quietly building its success in recent years. At the 2021 awards, Chardonnays from less-expected places like Canada and Germany also received Best in Show awards.

Tohu Wines’ 2018 Whenua Matua Chardonnay received one of the 50 Best in Show accolades at the 2021 Decanter World Wine Awards.
Tohu Wines’ 2018 Whenua Matua Chardonnay received one of the 50 Best in Show accolades at the 2021 Decanter World Wine Awards.

The Whenua Matua Chardonnay 2018 is a single-vineyard wine grown in the rich clay soils of the Upper Moutere region. The only other time a Nelson winery has won best in show for chardonnay was in 1992 when Neudorf Winery won for its 1991 Chardonnay, also grown in similar Moutere-clay soil.

Tohu winemaker Bruce Taylor said the Chardonnay was 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.”

Owned by the Kono food and beverage company, Tohu Wines was established in 1998 and around 200,000 cases of wine are produced at its winery in the Awatere Valley.

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

Tohu Wines also received a Gold Medal for its 2020 Sauvignon Blanc at the Decanter Awards.
Tohu Wines also received a Gold Medal for its 2020 Sauvignon Blanc at the Decanter Awards.

“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.”

Jul 15 2021 | Stuff.co.nz