Yet another fabulous evening at the Hour Glass in New Plymouth, this time tasting the wines of Mahi Wine with the man himself, Brian Bicknell. Excellent Marlborough wines matched with delicious tapas from Jenna and her team.
I’ve known Brian for a while now & been familiar with Mahi wine from my three years living and working in Marlborough albeit over ten years ago now. Brian occasionally sends me some of his new releases to review, so it was great to have a catch-up & chat in the flesh, while trying a few wines. It was a lovely intimate tasting with a dozen or so attending.
Brian introduced himself and gave us some background history about the brand name ‘Mahi’, a te Reo word for ‘My Work or My Craft.” He drew some great maps (on a chunk of cardboard box) to show us where the Mahi vineyards are in the Marlborough region, and introduced us to his philosophy behind the wine-making & wines.
To make wines in as natural a way as possible from great vineyards is a constant enjoyment, and then to see these wines through to the bottle, watch them slowly evolve, and to enjoy them at the table with friends is incredibly satisfying.
Brian’s a brilliant presenter with his dry humour & his absolute passion for what he does: we all had a very entertaining & educational evening. We were also all invited if ever in Marlborough, to let him know and he’d meet us at the Mahi Wine cellar door. Thanks Brian!
In other areas of the world distinctive sites were being celebrated and so an idea was hatched to create a label that promoted different vineyard sites across Marlborough to show the region had true depth and complexity.
Brian had been making wine in different parts of the world for about 15 years before deciding to return to New Zealand and settle in Marlborough. Arriving in 1996 he could see that vineyards in the different valleys of Marlborough produced remarkably unique profiles. At the time, most of Marlborough’s wines were made as regional blends with many individual site characteristics being lost.
This idea of a new label had been formed for some time but it was when Brian’s father developed terminal cancer the realization of his own mortality proved to be the impetus that was needed to finally start making the wines of Mahi.
“The primary emphasis for all of Mahi’wines is texture, aiming for wines that give real palate satisfaction rather than fruit-bomb styles.“ Brian.
To learn more about Mahi Wine and purchase wine online, visit:
https://mahiwine.co.nz/
Here are the wines we tasted along with food matches & notes*.
(* Tasting & pairing notes from Jenna at the Hour Glass – I was too busy enjoying the evening to write serious notes.)
2023 Mahi Pinot Gris
A dry & textured wine with pear & citrus aromas & flavours.
Matched with crispy pork belly bites, with apple & fennel slaw.
Pear and citrus soften the pork belly while the slaw lifts the acidity.
2024 Mahi Sauvignon Blanc
Lively and layered with citrus, grapefruit pith & a savoury finish.
Matched with Fresh oysters in the shell with a cucumber lime and shallot mignonette.
Citrus and salinity mirror the oysters & sharpen the finish.
2023 Mahi ‘Alias’ Sauvignon Blanc
Wild yeast, the vineyard site, barrel-ferment and time on lees makes for a rich and textural style of Sauvignon Blanc.
Matched with goat cheese crostini with basil, lemon & blistered grapes.
Tropical & citrus notes lift the goat cheeses & round out the acidity.
2024 Mahi Chardonnay
Fresh & elegant, with nectarine apple and a clean finish.
Matched with creamy truffled mushroom arancini with a parmesan aioli.
The wine’s savoury edge paired beautifully with mushroom & truffle flavours.
2023 Mahi Pinot Noir
Bright & elegant with raspberry, cherry and a savoury finish.
Matched with Duck spring rolls with a cherry Pinot glaze using the wine.
Cherry & spice echo the duck while the pastry keeps it balanced.
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