Te Kairanga John Martin Chardonnay

Here’s a little something you might not know. Martinborough is named after an Irish immigrant called John Martin. John purchased a sheep station in the Wairarapa region in 1879 and on that land that he once owned is the vineyard of Te Kairanga – we call ’em TK for short.

Their John Martin Chardonnay uses fruit from their Home Vineyard and is the best expression of Chardonnay they produce. No shortcuts or marketing gimmicks. Just the best parcels of fruit, hand harvested, whole bunch pressed with wild yeast, aged in French oak with regular lees stirring for added texture and complexity.

Scoring 94/100 with Master of Wine Bob Campbell, he called this 2020 vintage “Quite rich, intense and flavoursome wine with bright, peach, pineapple, rock melon, toasted nut and nutty oak flavours with a backbone of ripe acidity and gentle phenolics. Ripe, lush wine from an excellent vintage”