It was a Goldilocks vintage for Marlborough, according to Anna and Jason Flowerday of TWR. Not too hot, not too cold and a welcome follow-up to the drought-hit, low-cropping vintage that preceded it. Great conditions in spring led to great flowering, in turn bringing good, even set and moderate crops. The summer that followed was nice, warm and gentle with no hefty heat spikes. “The resultant wines have great depth of flavour and fleshiness with purity of fruit, bright aromatics and ripe, juicy acidity,” says Anna.
With the arrival this month of the new Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer, we’ve now rolled onto three 2020 whites, all looking splendid. But then again, such is the dedication and precision chez Flowerday, everything always is.
As Campbell Mattinson of The Wine Front put it back in January, “They never put a foot wrong at TWR.”
2020 TWR Sauvignon Blanc $30
The intensity and freshness here is hard to beat in this hotly contested category, and the intensity of peach, green-mango, lime and grapefruit flavors is impressive. Long, juicy and mouthwateringly fresh. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
93 points. Nick Stock, jamessuckling.com
2020 TWR ‘Toru’ SV 5182 $32
A field blend of Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Gris that were co-fermented. A fragrant, appealing wine with a silken texture and deliciously lingering fruit and floral finish. Gewürztraminer is the dominant variety. An impressive wine.
94 points. Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review
2019 TWR Pinot Gris SV 5182 $33
Full points for intensity. This really does offer terrific concentration of flavour. It’s alive with both aroma and fruit but it has texture, control and persistence all covered as well. Lychee, pear, chalk and drifts of tropical fruit. Florals. It’s electric.
94 points. Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front
2018 TWR Riesling ‘D’ SV 5182 $33
Pure, focused, varietal and enticing bouquet with aromas of red and green apple, pear and sweet lemon. It’s also very floral and mineral with white blossoms and artesian water scents. On the palate – equally pure with fruit flavours, flowers, fruit spices and minerals that reflect the nose. Very youthful and precise with salivating acidity and satin mouthfeel. A delicious wine – perfect as an aperitif, balanced with a lengthy dry finish. Best drinking from today and through 2031+.
94 points. Cameron Douglas MS, camdouglasms.com
2020 TWR Gewürztraminer SV 5182 $43
Fresh, creamy and concentrated Gewürztraminer, with classic varietal flavours including Turkish Delight, lychee and potpourri. A lovely wine with old-vine intensity. Should develop well with bottle age.
95 points. Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review
2017 TWR Pinot Noir $54
This is utterly delicious Pinot, delivering abundant spiced-cherry and blueberry-pastry aromas. This has an attractively composed and fleshy, ripe, dark-cherry and red-plum core with long, fresh and juicy drive on the palate. Such great fruit purity here.
94 points. Nick Stock, jamessuckling.com
2017 TWR Clayvin Pinot Noir SV 5096 $96
Impressive and super fragrant with plenty of violets, roses, bright red cherries and a whiff of sweetly fragrant baking spices. There’s a lot happening here. This really is regal pinot with such power and succulent, tensile tannin that magically gives way, at just the right moment, to let the finish bloom softly, as if in slow motion, clouding the mouth with playfully fresh, red-cherry flavour. It really is beautiful. Drink now. Screw cap.
97 points. Nick Stock, jamessuckling.com
2019 TWR Syrah SV 5182 $80
Complex, varietal, floral, a deep core of minerality and soft white pepper bouquet. Flavours of wild and fresh raspberry, black currant, violets and sweet meats, fine silty mineral core and layers of barrel spice and toastiness. Plenty of tannin and a back bone of acidity with youthfully firm yet polished tannin textures – all leading to a lengthy finish. A wine for the cellar – if you can wait till early 2022 – then decant for service and enjoy on its own or with food. Well made, complex and highly recommended.
95 points. Cameron Douglas MS, camdouglasms.com