Nous Single Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay 2023

As I stand in this vineyard and appreciate the passion that has gone into this very personal small project, I can't help but get goosebumps. When Murray Cook isn't doing his day job as head winemaker at Dog Point, one of the finest names in New Zealand fine wine, he is tending his own small parcel of vines with his wife Rachael, at their house in the hills of Marlborough. The two planted a tiny block (just 0.29 hectares) with high density chardonnay vines on an idyllic north facing hillside, quite literally in their own back garden. With an incredible commitment to biodynamic farming practices from the outset and given the remarkable talent of Murray as a winemaker, it’s no surprise that the resulting wine has turned out to be one of the most delicious chardonnays in New Zealand. Just a couple of years into production, the admiration for Nous in the New Zealand wine trade is justifiably significant. As the vines mature, the volumes produced increase slightly but still just 700 bottles of the 2023 vintage have been made from this spine-tinglingly inspiring project and it is a privilege that we have been offered a very small parcel to bring to Society members. The wine shows a superb combination of alluring plushness and luxurious generosity, with pristine acidity and tension. It is smart, with everything in the right place and beautifully judged, but underneath that polished, charming and serious layer an untameable wildness lurks, like a cheeky glint in the eye, reminding you of how much depth of personality is in this bottle.