A grape varietal that is hard to find in New Zealand – certainly unusual to see it bottled on its own – being best known as an element in Rhône white blends. A pale green-yellow in the glass. You get a sense of the wine in the perfume – it smells as textural as it tastes. Grapefruit, white peach, poached pear, apricot and lemon, yes – but also, and more importantly, baking spice, honeysuckle and greek yoghurt. Dry and medium-bodied, but with a richness and generosity of more than just juicy fruit. There’s a lees-influenced creaminess to the texture and a hint of barrel toast. Enough saline acidity as well to give drive towards an elegant finish with good length. 92pts
Stormwood Marsanne 2022
