Brunton Road (www.bruntonroad.co.nz)
| 2007 Pinot Gris 2007 Gewurztraminer 2007 Merlot |
Gisborne Gisborne Gisborne |
$24.00 $23.00 $20.00 |
16.0 17.0 16.5 |
The 2007 Brunton Road Pinot Gris has a softly scented aroma of ripe peach and baked pear with a touch of spice and cream. On the palate it is moderately concentrated with the clean ripe stonefruit flavours lifted by fresh citrus acidity. The wine has a touch of residual sweetness but the finish is dry. Not too hot or blowsy, an attractive easy drinking style. It is interesting and promising to see this variety (and its quality) coming out of Gisborne.
The Brunton Road wines are sealed with a screwcap and the 2007 Brunton Road Gewurztraminer takes a moment to open out. The aromas are in the musk, biscuity spectrum rather than pure turkish delight, with touches of mandarin peel, orange blossom and spice. The palate is quite delightful with a gently sweet, rose petal and lychee flavour. Medium sweetness gives some extra body, and there is a faint hint of oiliness - a good thing, seldom seen in NZ versions. Wears 14% alcohol well. Attractive and well made, the is a good example of the variety and region, offering good value as well; the 2007 vintage appears to be cementing Brunton Road's increasing reputation for producing quality gewurztraminer.
Less expensive Merlot can be a hit or miss affair. Thankfully the 2007 Brunton Road Merlot is quite cheerful indeed, with ripe plummy fruit, some vanilla ice-cream oak and a hint of cedar and spice. A touch of tannin stops the palate from being too fleshy and the green herbal notes that often creep into this style of wine are minimised. The palate has lovely texture and more richness than one might expect at this price point, the oak is complimentary and well handled. Ready now, this is a rather drinkable and attractive wine, and certainly great value in the NZ merlot stakes.
Rockburn (www.rockburn.co.nz)
| 2007 Pinot Gris 2007 Chardonnay 2007 Pinot Noir |
Central Otago Central Otago Central Otago |
$31.00 $31.00 $31.00 |
16.5 15.5 18.0 |
The 2007 Rockburn Pinot Gris is a blend of tank and barrel fermented wine, and the barrel influence is apparent on the nose, where touches of mealiness and biscuit mingle with nectarine, pear and baked apple. The palate does carry some residual sweetness but the keen acidity lifts the fruit flavours giving a fresh, almost crisp profile (this structure suggests this ought to be a food-friendly number). There is good fruit intensity and a clean, reasonably lengthy finish. A good effort.
The 2007 Rockburn Chardonnay produced a difference in opinion between us (not an uncommon occurance, but usually associated with shopping not wine); while we were in agreement on the nose - quite restrained, with cedar, nutmeg oak enhancing the apple and white peach aromas - we parted company on the palate. Both of us felt is came as a surprise after the nose, but while Jane saw "powerful, with warm alcohol carrying along the fruit and oak flavours. Quite a broad, rich style", I found I couldn't get past the firm acidity which to me was not well enough backed up with fruit, leaving a slightly disjointed impression. Yes, there was reasonable intensity and warm alcohol and good length but I felt the wine is marred by a sour lemon finish that left an unfortunately unfavourable final impression. Overall though, neither one of us was particularly overwhelmed by the wine and we suggest you could find both better chardonnay from the region and better wines from Rockford themselves. The 2007 Rockburn Pinot Noir has plenty of Central Otago's hallmark dark plum and berry aromas lifted by a light thyme and rosemary note. There is noticeable creamy oak which carries through onto the palate, giving a nutmeggy, vanilla bean edge to the fruit. Silky and softly textured, this offers pleasant drinking now. The only caveat would be the extending cellaring guidelines - it is doubtful that you would really be rewarded by cellaring this wine 6-8 years as the back of bottle suggests.
Vidal Estate (www.vidal.co.nz)
| 2007 Viognier 2007 Reserve Viognier |
East Coast Hawke's Bay |
$20.00 $30.00 |
16.0 |
The 2007 Vidal Estate East Coast Viognier is a blend of Gisborne, Hawke's Bay and Marlborough fruit, and offers a rather luscious aromatic nose of soft peachy fruit, wild ginger, jasmine and honeysuckle, whilst on the palate there is more florals, gingerbread, peach and apricot. The just off-dry palate carries a whoosh of alcohol making the wine fleshy and dense but the wine just lacks a little bit of mid-palate concentration. Moderate length and not badly priced for this currently super-trendy variety. The 2007 Vidal Estate Reserve Viognier is less forthcoming at present, the aromatics still locked in and whilst there are hints of honeysuckle and musk on a base of apricot starting to emerge. The palate on the Reserve wine is much more concentrated than the normal bottling, with oak very much in a supporting role. Medium-dry, with fine balance and very good fruit intensity it has plenty of ripe stonefruit offset by straw and attractive herbal notes. The texture is silky and creamy with great persistence of flavour. A better balanced, finer nuanced wine altogether, quite a step up from its younger sibling and wears its stated 14% alcohol well. Worth seeking out as good examples of this variety from NZ are few and far between despite the seemingly ever-increasing numbers on the shelves.
Pegasus Bay (www.pegasusbay.com)
| 2007 Pegasus Bay Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2006 Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir 2005 Pegasus Bay Merlot Malbec 'Maestro' |
Waipara Waipara Waipara |
$25.00 $42.00 $46.00 |
18.0 18.0 17.0 |
The release of the 2006 Sauvignon Semillon caused much debate between the two of us when we tasted it last year. However our disagreement paled into insignificance alongside the furious one between two NZ wine writers, when served two wines blind; one the 2004 PB Sauvignon Semillon bottled under cork and the other the same wine but this time sealed with a screwcap. Above the sound of shouting, Lynette Donaldson explained the grapefruit peel and smoky aromas that had formed in the screwcapped wine were complex sulphide characters that she absolutely loved. When she explained it I could understand appreciate the winemaker's point of view. But I wonder if wine drinkers who don't have the benefit of such an experience see the wine in the same light.
The 2007 Pegasus Bay Sauvignon Semillon seems much less obviously sulphidey on the nose with lovely lemon peel, mineral and chalk emerging. The palate is fascinating, with real complexity and interest. There is a sweetness to the fruit, a succulence, lifted by mineral acids. Textural and at this stage pretty firm but has plenty of juicy fruit, citrus, crisp apple and a touch of stonefruit. Some mineral and flint notes as well. Intense and lengthy, this opens up well in the glass which is indicative of this label's ability to age well. Combining the direct grassy herbaceousness of sauvignon with the ripe tropical and citrus characters of semillon in one aromatic package, it is difficult to understand why more winemakers don't make this blend in NZ. Pegasus Bay pinot rarely disappoints and the 2006 Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir is no exception. Spicy and ripe, it all the hallmarks of Pegasus Bay pinot - lush, velvety, intense and bold. This is no shrinking violet (although it is slightly floral). A bright carmine colour with red fruits and an underlying savoury, forest floor element. The palate is dense and savoury, with ripe sweet fruit showing lots of black and red berryfruit and black doris plums. Very attractive already. A thread of sappy stalkyness runs through which gives a real lift and adds balance to the rich fruit. Fine use of oak and beautifully balanced acidity. Lengthy. While definitely varietal, this does fall into the ‘merlot' spectrum of pinot noir, although that seems to be what its many followers want and appreciate. Waipara is best known for pinot noir and increasingly riesling, but the 2005 Pegasus Bay Maestro Merlot Malbec is a good reminder that Bordeaux blends can be just as successful in the right hands. Deepish ruby, starting to show a little ageing to rim, the nose has a black olive, cassis and liquorice edge with some cocoa powder oak underneath. Moderately concentrated and silky, with soft, finely grained tannins, and just a twang of leafiness on the finish. and drinking well now, though appears to have the structure to age further. A carefully crafted wine with the rich fruit-cakiness one expects from merlot and the extra colour density and fullness that malbec offers.
Desert Heart (www.desertheart.co.nz)
| 2007 Riesling 2007 Chardonnay 2007 Rosé 2007 'Seduction' Pinot Noir 2006 Pinot Noir |
Central Otago Central Otago Central Otago Central Otago Central Otago |
$23.50 |
15.5 15.0 14.5 14.5 16.5 |
Falling most definitely into the off-dry camp, the 2007 Desert Heart Riesling is scented ligher style wine with a pleasing chalky minerality. Rather golden in colour for such a young wine, although there are no obvious signs of advanced aging in the wine itself. The nose has candied lime and lemon blossom, honey, lemon verbena, white peach and apricot. The palate has plenty of lemony acidity, some stonefruit and comes across as a pleasant, almost aperitif style, wine with reasonable length. You would be happy enough to drink a glass or two of this without too much trouble.
The first impression on the nose of the 2006 Desert Heart Chardonnay is one of oak; creamy, coconut and vanilla bean. This leads one to expect a certain creaminess and roundness on the palate. However on the palate the ripe stonefruit flavours are harnessed to quite bracing acidity, even considering its cool regional origin which rather throws the wine out of balance and doesn't make for a particularly inviting wine. One gets the impression that they have almost tried to make it softer and rounded than it would ever naturally be, and it is poorer for it - they would have been better perhaps going for a racier version of chardonnay that the region more naturally fits. Hesitant though we are to use the term Chablis-style, it would have made for rather more attractive drinking.
The 2007 Desert Heart Rosé is made from pinot noir and has a pale salmon pink colour and a nose reminiscent of strawberries that have been smoked(!). On the palate the wine has a soft berryish flavour and a touch of sweetness. Clean and fruit-driven, reasonably enticing with moderate length, slightly let down on the finish which is a tad insipid but pleasant in its own way on a hot Central day I'm sure.
Desert Heart release two pinots, the estate label and Seduction, made in an earlier drinking style. The 2007 'Seduction' Pinot Noir is Moderately concentrated with an appealing crushed dark berry aroma though with perhaps just a teensy hint of fish oil creeping in. The slightly green edge to the nose of this wine which is also not necessarily something associated with seductive pinot noir. Light and fresh with bright strawberry and plum fruit balanced by new oak. Possibly would have been better with slightly less oak? Better examples can be found from the region in this price bracket. The 2006 Desert Heart Pinot Noir shows some development of colour and on the nose aged characters of forest floor, sweet spice and salami are starting to emerge. Dark cherry and black plum nose, some light spice, a distinctly sappy note adds interest. More intensity of fruit than its Seduction sibling, the palate is sweet and soft, with some of the grace and silkiness associated with the variety in this region, and lots of fleshy dark berry flavours. Certainly fully developed. Best of the bunch from this producer although still not necessarily worth going out of your way for at this stage. Showing potential though.
Blind River (www.blindriver.co.nz)
| 2007 Blind River Sauvignon Blanc | Marlborough | $26.00 | 17.0 |
The latest release from Marlborough's Blind River winery, the 2007 Blind River Sauvignon Blanc is a moderately complex wine showing succulent gooseberry and lime aromas with a touch of smokey, grapefruit peel sulphides. The release notes state that 10% of the wine was fermented in aged French barriques using wild yeast. Certainly this winemaking technique adds another layer of interest, especially on the palate where it gives a textural quality. The palate is sweetly fruited with racy, minerally acidity and a crisp finish. Moderate length, seems slightly lacking in intensity but overall a pretty honest example of the variety and region, although perhaps a tad pricey.
Mission Estate (www.missionestate.co.nz)
| 2008 Sauvignon Blanc | Hawke's Bay | $15.00 | 16.0 |
Our first 2008!! The 2008 Mission Estate Sauvignon Blanc has a lightly perfumed nose with touches of sherbet, fresh grass, mellow tropical fruit (candied pineapple and passionfruit, guava) made in a cheerful inviting manner. The thread of herbaceousness gives clue to its varietal identity but it is a very different beast from its Marlborough cousins. A dry, herbal palate, light bodied with a grassy slightly mineral finish. Bright and crunchy, with crisp citrus acidity. Pulls up a little short but fresh and clean. Only 12%, easy on the tastebuds and should partner food well. A nice alternative to the rather more in your face Marlborough styles that teem the shelves.
Jackson Estate (www.jacksonestate.co.nz)
| 2006 Chardonnay Shelter Belt | Marlborough | $22.50 | 17.0 |
The nose on the 2006 Jackson Estate Shelter Belt Chardonnay is quite distinctive, with a floral yet mealy quality. Winemaker Mike Paterson has invested plenty of winemaking time and effort into what is a modestly priced wine and it shows. The nose has lovely peach, banana skin and a touch of brown biscuit, a good honest palate, medium bodied, plenty of ripe fruit, the palate has nice grapefruit and white peach with a touch of spicy oak on the finish. Very nicely made wine with lots of varietal character that will please chardonnay lovers and more complexity and interest than you would always expect for the price. An excellent effort.
Clos Marguerite (www.closmarguerite.co.nz)
| 2007 Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Pinot Noir |
Marlborough Marlborough |
$22.00 $22.00 |
17.5 |
The nose of the 2007 Clos Marguerite Sauvignon Blanc is quite old fashioned, with a strong green capsicum, nettle and grass edge. On the palate the fruit is ripe and fairly concentrated with a currant and gooseberry fruit flavour. The impression is that there is some residual sweetness in the wine though this is offset by limey acidity. Palate is textural, richly fruited and finely balanced, lovely lemony palate but nice crisp, dry finish (although it would be interesting to see if there was a smidge of RS lurking in there). This is an very likable style of sauvignon as they have balanced the typically exuberant Marlborough fruit with texture and certain complexity giving a very enjoyable wine to drink rather than just judge.
The 2006 Clos Marguerite Pinot Noir has a delightful nose, gently aromatic with strawberry jam, blackcurrant and blueberry, touch of sappiness. Palate is light and dry with light strawberry, cherry, rhubarb and plum fruit. Not a lot of intensity but they have kept it plain and simple and not tried to do too much to the wine. This is may not be everyone's cup of tea but it is an honest and simple wine that has been nicely crafted.