Organic. Over the past three seasons, Marlborough—particularly its organic vineyards—has experienced significant troubles with powdery mildew. In 2020 Takaki Okada’s Folium Vineyard succumbed to this pesky pathogen, and the resulting yields would not allow for a Corofin release this year. In Folium’s place, Paterson turned to his friend Ben Glover, whose organic Brawn Vineyard in Dillon’s Point had been impressing for several years.
Sitting in the lee of the Wither Hills to the southeast of the Wairau Valley floor, the Brawn Vineyard lies on Kaiapoi silt loam over pea gravel, closer the ocean than Corofin’s other sites. It’s home to an old-vine Mendoza clone that is now rare in Marlborough, “most of the old blocks have been ripped out and replaced with Sauvignon”, sighs Paterson. It’s the thick skins of this old-vine fruit that Paterson credits with his wine’s succulent extract and spice tones. In addition, both Glover and Paterson have identified a unique saline/umami note to the Chardonnay from this site (and both reviewers seem to pick this up on this signature in their notes below).
Given the quality of this first release, we were not surprised to hear that Paterson hopes to make Brawn a full-time member of the Corofin family. The winemaking for the Chardonnays is the same, and of the duo from 2020, the Brawn is the more exuberant; the nose brings more spice and the mouthcoating palate is layered with notes of honey, wild fennel and yellow flowers, all delivered within Corofin’s charter of elegance and purity.
“It’s a well-concentrated midweight style with honed power. While lees aging has brought substance through the core, there’s a line of firmness on the persistent finish. Expect lingering flavors of ripe nectarine and apple-like fruit alongside subtle nutty notes (puncheon) and a light flinty tone that acts like salt and pepper. Wonderfully “not made” Chardonnay.”95 points, Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous
“This is from a site on the southeast Wairau Valley floor with a fertile silt loam soil. Very fresh and fine on the nose, with bright lemon notes and a hint of green tea and white pepper. The palate is taut and restrained with lovely bright lemony notes. Very pure and fine. So expressive, showing good acidity and real purity.”94 points, Jamie Goode, Wine Anorak
Established in 2011, Corofin is the new home for ex-Jackson Estate winesmith Mike Paterson and his partner Anna, until recently GM at TerraVin.
At this early juncture, while Mike is contracted to another project and Anna busy raising the couple’s two young daughters, Corofin craft two (soon to be three) single-vineyard Pinot Noirs, each in tiny 100-150-case lots. You can read about two of these “pretty special Marlborough sites” below (the third being the Weavers’ ‘Waihopi Slopes’ at Churton). Not too far down the line we’ll see a little Chardonnay as well.
For the time being the wines are made out of temporary digs at Fromm. Having spent the majority of their working years in and about Marlborough, Mike and Anna have no doubt regarding the potential of their adopted region, and were well placed to approach their first choice of vineyards.
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