Kelly Washington Wines

Doing her bit for the women of NZ wine, the sassy and smart Tamra Kelly-Washington set up Kelly Washington with her English husband and launched with the 2017 vintage. Having spent her formative years at Seresin before heading off to Italy for seven years, she spent time in the commercial end of winemaking at Yealands before returning to Seresin as a consultant winemaker and setting up her own label. Kelly Washington’s white wine winemaking approach: wild fermentations in old barrels, puncheons or concrete eggs – creates a style that is soulful, rich and savory, including the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Blanc, which, unfortunately, I did not had the chance to taste for this report. Kelly-Washington’s Pinot Noir, instead, is sourced from the riskiest yet most rewarding subregion of Central Otago, Gibbston.