Mahi have just released three new Pinot Noirs from the 2023 vintage. The label started in 2001, with a desire to make single-vineyard wines as well as regional wines that still fit into that premium market. The ’23 vintage was a long year, but the weather stayed settled through harvest from mid-March to mid-April.
Mahi The Wrekin Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023
A well-known vineyard – one of only a few of New Zealand’s few ‘name vineyards’ where the label proudly shows off the provenance. A mix of sweet ripeness and savoury notes makes for an intriguing and beguiling perfume. Black cherry, damson, raspberry and bramble, with a very peppery, spicy undertone. Complex, concentrated and powerful in the palate. Texture plays a part, alongside the crisp acidity, light touch of oak and the supple, rounded tannin. A terracotta and earthy minerality layer is offset by a hint of green – playing off each other. And the plush fruit just plows on, to a dry finish of excellent length. Try to cellar this to reward more evolution and depth. 95pts
Mahi Twin Valleys Pinot Noir 2023
Fruit comes from ‘a vineyard on the top terrace of the Wairau Valley’ in Marlborough. The bouquet has smoky incense, black pepper, toasted souk spices and mushroom notes – and that’s before you mention the fruit! Plum, cassis, blackberry, blueberry and cherry compote. Dry and with ripe, crunchy flavours in the palate – fresh, youthful and expressive. Structure comes from fine, chalky tannin and although the acidity is moderate, it provides enough energy to keep the flavours turning. The sweet/savoury interplay has some edges to lose, but that will come with time – and I’d be looking to drink this wine after a few years more in the cellar. For now, 94pts
Mahi Pinot Noir 2023
This expression pulls together fruit from four vineyards across the region – including the Ward vineyard that is well south of Blenheim. The aromas are bold, rich and seductive. Boysenberry, cherry, doris plum, blood orange, blackberry flavours meet clove, star anise and sumac spices. Perhaps the richest and most attention-grabbing one of the trio, where texture is upfront, glossy and sleek. Tannin is smooth and plump, and the smudge of oak is well-judged. Beautifully poised with long lines of lush flavour and peppery spice. 94pts
