Tuamarina Vineyards

Makers of Arneis Italian wine variety in Marlborough, New Zealand

Wine Reviews

Yvonne Lorkin – Tua Marina Vineyards Arneis 2016 & 2017

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Wine Review by Yvonne Lorkin – http://yvonnelorkin.com/2019/01/tua-marina-marlborough-arneis-2016-2017-30/

How brilliant to finally find an Arneis specialist here in New Zealand. Lucky for us, Franzi Grab is obsessed with this tricky little Italian number from the northern Piedmont region, which is nicknamed ‘Little Rascal’ due to it regularly having hissy fits in the vineyard and not playing by the rules. Certified organic, Franzi now has three vintages under her belt and her style is wild-yeast fermented, chalky, bone dry and limey on both the nose and palate and boasts zingy acidity, racy texture and excellent length. The 2016 (4 stars) has a deeper colour and hints of white pepper and nuttiness on the nose and a rich mouthfeel, while the 2017 (4.5 stars) has pronounced lime, lemon and summer florals on the nose and citrus and mineral-dominant palate. Just 954 bottles were made of the 2017, much less than the 2016 – however they’re both sensational wines. Don’t over-chill arneis – just an hour in the fridge tops. Then drink it with leek and mozzarella dumplings. www.tuamarinavineyards.co.nz

Wine Orbit – Tua Marina Vineyards Marlborough Arneis 2017

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Wine review by Wine Orbit – http://www.wineorbit.co.nz/

Elegantly poised and delightfully expressed, the bouquet shows delicate aromas of white flesh nectarine, lemon peel, wet limestone and floral characters. The palate is concentrated and focused, delivering terrific purity and vibrancy, wonderfully supported by zesty acidity. Textural and engaging with a persistent crisp finish. At its best: now to 2021. $30.00. Certified organic. Aug 2018.

93 points -5 stars

Wine Orbit – Tua Marina Vineyards Marlborough Arneis 2016

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Wine review by Wine Orbit http://www.wineorbit.co.nz/

Hand harvested and whole bunch pressed; fermented using indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks and old oak barrels with lees stirring of the barrel component. This is impressively fruited and intense, yet delicate and refined at the same time. The bouquet shows apricot, lemon peel, jasmine and almond characters, leading to a beautifully focused palate that is finely textured and linear. The wine offers wonderful fruit purity together with elegant savoury nuances, finishing superbly long and pleasingly dry. At its best: now to 2020. $30.00. Dec 2017.

94 points – 5 stars

Wine Orbit – Tua Marina Vineyards Marlborough Arneis 2015

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Wine review by Wine Orbit http://www.wineorbit.co.nz/

A lovely expression of the variety, the elegantly fragrant bouquet shows lemon peel, apple blossom and jasmine characters with subtle savoury undertones. The palate is concentrated and finely textured, and delivers excellent mid palate weight and texture, brilliantly structured by crisp acidity, finishing superbly long and linear. At its best: now to 2019. $28.00. March 2017.

93 points – 5 Stars

Raymond Chan – Tua Marina Vineyards Marlborough Arneis 2017

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Wine review by Raymond Chan Wine Reviews http://www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz/

Franzi Grab and Lex Thomson own a vineyard on Kaituna-Tuamarina Road on the northern bank of the Wairau River. They have 4 ha of Sauvignon Blanc, planted in 2008 and 2009 but also, interestingly, 1,000 Arneis vines, planted in 2008 and 2009 after being impressed with the variety while travelling in Piedmont.  The vineyard is tended by both Franzi and Lex, who are trained viticulturists and winemakers, the vineyard certified BioGro organic in 2014.  I have reviewed the Tua Marina Arneis from the 2014 vintage.  The wine is made carefully with subtle inputs, and shows consistency of style.  Here is my review of the 2017, from according to Franzi, a difficult harvest which required intensive vineyard work and strict fruit selection to ensure only healthy and ripe fruit was employed.  A lighter and more delicate wine has resulted, but one that has typical varietal characteristics.

Tua Marina Vineyards Marlborough Arneis 2017

Bright, very pale staw colour with slight green hues, near colourless on the rim. The nose is softly concentrated and packed with aromas of savoury white stonefruits and florals with stonefruit kernels and nutty notes, unveiling suggestions of oxidative complexities.  The aromatics are harmonious and integrated.  Dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate has a finely presented, firmly packed heart of savoury white stonefruits entwined with white florals and nutty layers.  The fruit is moderately rich and is enlivened by fresh, crisp acidity lending vibrancy and a degree of underlying power and linearity.  The wine flows along a fine-textured phenolic line, leading to a dry, thirst-quenching finish.  This is a moderately rich, dry Arneis with savoury stonefruit, floral and nutty flavours with good mouthfeel, freshness and linearity.  Serve as an aperitif and with seafood over the next 2+ years.  Hand-picked fruit, WBP, and indigenous yeast fermented, half in stainless-steel and half in two seasoned oak barrels to 12.6% alc. and 4 g/L RS, the barrel portion undergoing batonnage.  17.5/20  Aug 2018  RRP $30.00

Raymond Chan – Tua Marina Vineyards Marlborough Arneis 2016

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Wine review by Raymond Chan Wine Reviews: http://www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz/

Tua Marina Vineyards is the Marlborough wine venture of Franzi Grab and Lex Thomson who own 4 ha of Sauvignon Blanc and 1,000 Arneis vines on the northern bank of the Wairau River on Kaituna-Tuamarina Road. The vineyard was planted to Sauvignon Blanc in 2003 and the Arneis in 2008 and 2009 after being impressed with the variety while travelling in Piedmont. Franzi and Lex are both trained viticulturists and winemakers and tend the vineyard, which was certified BioGro organic in 2014. The Sauvignon Blanc goes to Seresin Estate, while the Arneis goes to their own label. I reviewed the 2014 and 2015 vintages of Arneis in March last year (click here to see my reviews). Here, I review the 2016 Arneis.

Tua Marina Marlborough Arneis 2016

Bright, light straw-yellow colour with light golden tints, a little lighter on the rim. The bouquet is firm and elegantly concentrated with deep and well-packed aromas of savoury white and yellow stonefruits with near-chalky, nutty and waxy layers and a suggestion of oxidative detail, Dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate has a good core of savoury white and yellow stonefruits with nutty detail and a layering of waxy and oxidative hints. The fruit has good depth and the palate has light textures, and is driven by a little alcohol power, providing good linearity. The wine possesses presence and carries to a finely concentrated, lingering, nutty finish. This is a dry Arneis with savoury white and yellow stonefruit flavours with nutty notes and subtle waxy and oxidative detail on a light-textured, linear palate with good weight. Match with antipasto and tapas over the next 3 years. Hand-picked fruit, WBP, 50% fermented in tank and 50% in seasoned oak, all by indigenous yeasts to 13.2% alc. and 3 g/L RS, the barrel portion undergoing batonnage and all of the wine undergoing MLF. Certified BioGro organic. 17.5-/20 Dec 2017 RRP $30.00