Churton Viognier 2023

Churton is a 50 hectare farm in the southern hills of Marlborough, about half of which is now under vine. Sam and Mandy Weaver are Churton’s founders, and long before it was fashionable, they approached the farm and the vineyard with strong ecological values. The vineyard has been organic since the beginning in 1997, and is managed with biodynamic principles.

They produce hand-harvested Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir as well as small quantities of Viognier and Petit Manseng. They focus on these four grape varieties, as they believe they are best suited to the undulating hillside vineyard with its north-east aspect, clay soils and specific microclimate.

Their wine making is based on minimal intervention, and patience. All wines undergo a slow, natural fermentation before resting on lees and spending time in bottle.

Grapes were hand-harvested and whole-bunch pressed. Fermentation occurred with indigenous yeasts present on the grape skins, in a combination of stainless steel tanks and neutral French oak barrels to balance freshness with subtle texture. The wine was aged on fine lees for several months, with regular lees stirring to enhance mouthfeel and complexity, before bottling.