Roving Sommelier is passionate about premium quality New Zealand regional wines. Award-winning sommelier, Robert Giorgione is also a New Zealand Wine Brand Ambassador and enthusiastically goes about his work with great passion and knowledge and positively promotes all the New Zealand winegrowers that he represents.

Mahi wines are among my most favourite wines produced in New Zealand. This boutique winery was established in 2007 by its owner and winemaker, Brian Bicknell. I first met Brian in the mid-1990s when he was head winemaker at neighbouring Marlborough-based Seresin Estate, and I was sommelier at Oxo Tower restaurant in London. What’s more, I worked the vintage harvest at Seresin Estate with Brian in 2006 which was his last vintage there before he went to set up Mahi. Over the years, I have really respected Brian’s winemaking style and have enjoyed all the wines that he produces. I’ve also visited him at the winery twice: in 2009 and 2014. On both occasions, Brian was very generous with his time he spent with me, to show me around various vineyards within Marlborough, and is very happy to impart his incredible passion, experience, and knowledge about the region. We have also met up many times whenever he is over here in the UK. With regards to how I feel about him personally, I would say that Brian Bicknell is a wonderful mentor, who is very keen and willing to pass on his great knowledge of New Zealand wines. Some winemakers are very egotistical and it’s all about them, not their wines. However, luckily Brian is not one of those. With him what you see is what you get, and it’s the same for his wines, too. I am very proud of my associations with Brian and his Mahi wines, and they will always feature near the top of my New Zealand wine bucket list.

This Pinot Noir from Mahi is a combination of three parcels from the Marlborough region, selected for their soils, aspect, and character. The natural environment of high sunshine hours, clear skies, cool temperatures, and sheltered valleys, combined with diverse soil profiles provide Marlborough with very favourable grape growing conditions.

The fruit was hand-picked, then predominantly destemmed prior to going to small vats for maceration and fermentation. Fermentation occurred with wild yeast and the skins kept in contact with the juice by regular hand-plunging (pigeage). The wine was then run to barrels where it rested for ten months prior to being bottled.

The wines of Mahi are not rushed to bottle, and we believe that with correct storage this wine will continue to develop in interest and complexity. As the wine has been made using traditional methods, it may contain traces of egg white.

Best enjoyed in a convivial atmosphere.