meet the producers
Domaine Rewa
Location
Lowburn, Central Otago, New Zealand.
Site
The domaine is a 10 hectare site with 5.5 hectare under vine, planted in 1999. The site sits on the 45th Parallel on the Pisa Flats in the Cromwell Basin wine region, encircled by the Pisa Range, Dunstan Mountains and the Cairnmuir Range with the Southern Alps to the West - all of which block rain to the valley.
Farming Philosophy
Certified Organic since 2013,with a focus on biodiversity, biodynamics and nurturing their roles as custodians of the land. Planting over 500 trees and plants including natives, olives, oaks and a diverse orchard all supported by the presence of bees. The property’s organic waste, along with locally sourced organic hay and manure, form a rich layer of compost applied to the vineyard annually.
Winemaking
All wines are organically grown, single estate, and hand picked. Natural Ferments within stainless steel tanks, Burgundian Oak Barriques and Yannick’s unique two hand made 325L local clay Amphora are used to craft the wines.
Soil Type
Schist derived glacial gravels, sands and silts with low fertility and high mineral content.
They Say
“Domaine Rewa – a small organic vineyard – is turning out some very smart wines.” — Dr Jamie Goode, The Wine Anorak
We Say
“Always go with what the locals drink, and Domaine Rewa’s reputation for their Chardonnay as one of the regions best is well deserved.”
WINES
PINOT NOIR
Hand harvested 27th March 2020
French oak - 26% new - for 12 months
Alcohol 13.5%
Bottles 8844
Pinot Gris ‘The French Potter’ Amphora ferment
Hand harvested 6th April 2024
Fermented & aged in old oak and clay amphora
Alcohol 13.5%
Bottles 157
Chardonnay
Clones: Mendoza & 15
Hand harvested 23 March 2023
French oak - 31% new - for 9 months
Alcohol 14%
Bottles 4571
TONY BISH WINES
Location
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand.
Site S
Kokako Farms – Ohiti Valley, Hawke’s Bay
This stunning vineyard runs parallel to the Ngaruroro River, one of the three defining rivers in Hawke’s Bay. Planted with a passion to produce world-class Chardonnay, reflecting the essence of this unique river valley
Two Terraces - Mangatahi, Hawke’s Bay
Elevated and inland, Two Terraces is planted on silt and sand loam soils sitting above the famous alluvial red metals of the area.
Skeetfield - Omahu, Hawke’s Bay
Hawke’s Bay’s oldest Mendoza clone Chardonnay vines, dry farmed on one glorious hectare. This vineyard has been producing outstanding Chardonnay for over 30 years.
Farming Philosophy
Regenerative farming with a particular focus on soil health and minimising any practises that may harm soil microbe activity or damage soil structure. Wildflowers and companion plants (along with a few tolerated weeds) are a common site in growers’ vineyards.
Winemaking
Art, science and faith in the ferment
“With intense thought into the vessel selection, choosing from a unique collection of eggs, cuves and barrels - Chardonnay is all about the vessel shape drawing out the true, individual expressions of our distinctive vineyards into our Chardonnays. Handpicked fruit is gently whole-bunch pressed with no additives, and then it’s pretty hands off as the natural ferments work their magic creating the balance, finesse and complexity.”
Soil Type
Mixed alluvial and volcanic in origin, with significant limestone outcrops from sedimentary deposits. Freedraining soils with layers of soil that are windblown loess and degraded limestone overlaying alluvial grey and red metal sub-soils.
They Say
“Brilliant tasting with the Chardonnay master @tonybishwines including one very special wine that may be the best NZ Chardonnay of all!!”
— Dr Jamie Goode
“Great Chardonnay to challenge Burgundy”
- Jasper Morris MW
We Say
“Tony is a master of his art, making exceptional chardonnay. The skeetfield is a stunning example of just how good new zealand’s chardonnay can be, at a price point that puts most white burgundy to shame”
WINES
Fat & sassy chardonnay
Hawke’s Bays devastating Cyclone Gabrielle in March 2023 resulted in significant loss of the grape crop. Our wonderful colleagues in Marlborough willingly came to our rescue, and we enjoyed a brilliant vintage with excellent grape growing conditions. Pristine fruit was harvested for our beloved Fat & Sassy. A blend of 75% Marlborough and 25% Hawke’s Bay, this wine retains our signature style of being Fat…& Sassy
Heartwood chardonnay
Hand harvested from Kokano and Two Terraces vineyards.
Whole bunch pressed and free run juice fermented with no additions in Taransaud Burgundian oak barriques for 11 months.
Mendoza and 548 clones
Alcohol 13.5%
Golden egg Chardonnay
Hand harvested Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay was whole bunch pressed, with only free run juice progressing to ferment in concrete egg fermenters.
Egg shaped fermenters keep yeast lees in suspension through the naturally occurring convection currents unique to the egg shape. Purity of fruit is maintained, richness and texture build, and the wine develops in a way totally different to stainless steel tanks or oak barrels.
Minimally handled through to bottling
Alcohol 13.6%
two terraces chardonnay
Hand harvested from Mangatahi Two Terraces vineyard.
Whole bunch pressed and free run juice fermented with no additions in Taransaud Burgundian oak barriques for 11 months.
Rigorous barrel selection with the purest and most intense becoming this single vineyard bottling after further 6 months bottle ageing prior to release.
Unfined & unfiltered
Alcohol 13.5%
skeetfield chardonnay
Hand harvested from Omahu Skeetfield vineyard.
The Skeetfield Vineyard has old vine dry-farmed Mendoza Chardonnay vines, we believe these are the oldest Chardonnay vines in Hawke’s Bay.
The fruit was hand-picked and whole bunch pressed directly to French oak barriques. This wine was 100% barrel fermented and matured, with 60% new Taransaud barriques.
Unfined & unfiltered
Alcohol 13.5%
ZEN chardonnay
Hand harvested from Omahu Skeetfield vineyard from old vine dry-farmed Mendoza Chardonnay vines.
Whole bunch pressed with the wine 100% fermented in an Ovum – a French oak, egg shaped vessel that forms rich flavours and textured wines thanks to the unique convection currents it produces. Tony Bish has created the first Chardonnays in the world to be produced from an Ovum.
With no settling or any additions, the juice was allowed to ferment with indigenous, wild yeasts from the vineyard for 2 to 3 weeks, each yeast adding its own nuance to the complexity.
After initial ferment, a natural malo-lactic fermentation took place with the wine left in the Ovum for 12 months allowing the yeast derived complexity to develop. It was then racked several times, able to be bottled without any fining or filtration, protecting vineyard character and integrity. ZEN is an intensely rich, textural and quite unique wine.Alcohol 13%
