The “tolone’ block is the other small vineyard on our farm and is planted mainly to Riesling. It has some Chardonnay interplanted within it and these plants are only evident later in the season when the slightly different shape of the leaves is recognisable to the trained eye. The vines are an average age of 27 years old. As with the other vineyard on the property it is farmed organically and has been since it was planted. This is clearly evident in the abundance of life both in and above the ground.

As with the Nikau Pinot the aim here is to do as little as possible and let the fruit be what it wants to be. There were 48 hours of skin contact with a very light maceration. The reason for this is that I believe the skins of any fruit hold some of the information and story of the place, the soils, and the weather that it is exposed to. By emitting the skins totally I feel that you are losing some of the story and terroir.

The wine seems very refined. It is a dainty 9% alcohol but you wouldn’t know it, It has incredible structure and presence. It is an elegant and haunting thing of beauty (I don’t say such things about my own wines lightly). It has so much vitality and freshness and is a very individual wine in it’s on right. – Nikau Farm Wines