Tua Marina Vineyards

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

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

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

Lex Thomson and Franzi Grab own Tua Marina Vineyards on the Tuamarina Track. There, they have 4 ha of Sauvignon Blanc, planted in 2003, and 1,000 Arneis vines planted in 2008 and 2009, the latter after being impressed by the wines when travelling in Piedmont. Lex and Franzi are trained viticulturists and winemakers, Lex running the Viticulture Practice consulting business, and Franzi a technician at Plant and Food Research, Marlborough. Together, they tend the vineyard, which was certified BioGro organic from the 2014 harvest. The Sauvignon Blanc fruit up to now has gone to the Framingham winery, and the Arneis wines made at Framingham under contract. From 2016, the fruit will go to, and the wine will be made at Seresin Estate. Here, I review the 2015 and 2014 Arneis.

Tua Marina Vineyards Marlborough Arneis 2015

Bright, even, light straw-yellow colour, lighter on the rim. The nose is fresh with oft aromas of bright white and yellow stonefruits entwined with apple and nutty elements, unfolding nuances of flinty lees and minerals, herbs and a suggestion of lanolin. Dry to taste and medium-full bodied, the palate possesses good depth and concentration of vibrant white stonefruit flavours along with subtle herb, nutty, waxy and lanolin notes. The wine has drive and follows a fine phenolic thread with fresh acidity lending firmness and linearity. The wine carries to a crisp, refreshing finishof stonefruits and nuts. This is a fresh and lively, softly concentrated Arneis with stonefruit, nutty and lanolin notes. Match with seafood and Pacific Rim fare over the next 2-3 years. Arneis fruit fermented in two seasoned oak and two stainless-steel barrels to 13.5% alc. and <2 g/L RS, the wine aged on lees with batonnage. 1.022 bottles made. 17.5/20 Mar 2016 RRP $28.00

Tua Marina Vineyards Marlborough Arneis 2014

Brilliant light straw-yellow colour with slight lemon hues, lighter edged. This has a fresh and steely, elegantly presented nose of white stonefruits melded with herbal and savoury nutty layers at the core, the aromatics showing the beginning of softening secondary development. Dry to taste and medium-bodied, soft and moderately deep flavours of white stonefruits and nuts provide a rounded mouthfeel. Light, lacy acidity provides energy and tension and the wine has linearity, carrying the wine easily to a soft and gentle finish of stonefruits and nuts. This is a soft and evenly presented Arneis with stonefruit and savoury nutty flavours. It is drinking well now and will match seafood and poultry dishes over the next 2 years. Arneis fruit fermented in a seasoned oak barrel and a stainless-steel barrel to 13.5% alc. and <2 g/L RS, the wine aged on lees with batonnage. 508 bottles made 16.5+/20 Mar 2016 RRP $28.00