IWM July 2007

The July issue of the Independent Wine Monthly contains a first look at the brand new ‘Envoy' range from Spy Valley Wines, the latest releases from Grant Taylor's Valli Vineyard plus a host of other new NZ wines starting to appear on the shelves.

There is a new section ‘From the Cellar'. This is an opportunity to write about wines we have cellared and think are worth writing about (even though they may not be still available to buy). Most winemakers predict their wines will cellar happily for several years. This gives us a chance to see if they are telling porky pies.

Emma has been busy updating the website which will now include our favourite wine of the last seven days plus any bits of news or opinion which are too delicious to wait until the next issue of the IWM is published.

If you have any questions or comments on The Independent Wine Monthly, please email :
info@thewineschool.co.nz

Jane Skilton MW
Emma Jenkins

Spy Valley (www.spyvalleywine.co.nz)

Spy Valley Wines has released its new Envoy range squarely aimed at the super premium end of the market. Distinctive packaging, super heavy bottles and classy labels suggest the marketing department at Spy Valley see the wines appealing to high end restaurants and discerning wine drinkers. The 2005 Spy Valley Envoy Riesling has a very pure aroma; ripe peach, lime sherbet and blossom with wet stone and wood smoke. Aged 14 months before release, the nose is not yet showing any kerosene but instead is still very fresh and youthful. The release notes state the riesling clones are Germanic GM110 and GM239, however there is little teutonic to the wine, instead more a nod in the direction the Clare Valley. Initially the flavours are of white nectarine and red apple and the ageing on lees has contributed texture though perhaps at the expense of delicacy ? Pulls up a little short and with a very slight hard edge.
Why is NZ pinot gris held in such low regard ? Possibly because so few winemakers have really got underneath the skin of the variety and seem content to produce off dry, lightly perfumed but ultimately rather dull wines. Yet winemakers in Alsace regard the variety as one of their most noble and the region produces some outstanding wines, capable of ageing for years. So it was a pleasant surprise to taste the 2005 Spy Valley Envoy Pinot Gris. Baked pear, sweet spice, quince and honeysuckle define the nose whilst the palate offers up rich, spicy fruit flavours of ripe pear and poached stone fruit, strongly textural with an oilyness that is beautifully balanced by bright acidity. There is residual sweetness but it forms an integral part of the wine rather than sticking out obtrusively. Good length. Still very youthful, it will be interesting to taste this wine in another 12 months.
One smell of the 2005 Spy Valley Envoy Gewurztraminer was enough for Emma to exclaim "you'd be a fool not to spot this in a blind tasting!" Exceptionally well defined gewurztraminer on the nose; fresh lychee, rose petal and turkish delight, very aromatic with delicacy. The palate is spicy and rich with impressive texture; a touch of residual sweetness yet the wine is in perfect balance. Exceptionally good length. Really impressive. The 2005 Spy Valley Envoy Chardonnay is produced from clone B95 and was whole bunched pressed and barrel fermented using wild yeasts. Bran biscuit, hazlenut and oatmeal; a savoury, spicy aroma rather than one of pure fruit. Surprisingly taut and fine on entry; ripe lemon and mineral, then the palate opens out and the oak kicks in. Leaner and more restrained than expected; still very youthful, but already already showing pleasing complexity and harmony. There is a pithy dryness to the finish that is attractive. The 2005 Envoy Pinot Noir has a really lovely colour; good saturation, vivid and bright. The nose is concentrated and dense; black doris plum, cranberry and cherry with oak adding a charry, slightly vanillin backnote. The palate is silky and richly fruited with a thread of sappy acidity (a good thing) lifting the flavour profile. The wine has extract and density and a core of sweetness. A long, powerful finish. The real challenge when releasing a premium range of wines must be to be able to justify the extra price tag over and above the basic range. Winemaker Ant McKenzie had a big task - the regular Spy Valley range offers excellent quality and real value for money. These debut releases suggest that he has succeeded; the wines are richer, more complex and concentrated than the regular varietal range. And whilst the pinot noir does weigh in at a hefty $55.00, the other wines are more than reasonably priced for the quality on offer. An impressive debut.

Valli Vineyards (www.valliwine.com)

Grant Taylor has released three single vineyard wines that demonstrate beautifully why it is dangerous to group wines from a particular area under an all encompassing umbrella and make sweeping generalisations. Two of the wines come from Central Otago and one from Waitaki in North Otago and each wine clearly showed distinct regional characters. The three made a fascinating comparison. The 2006 Valli Gibbston Pinot Noir has a bright colour and a truly lovely aroma; perfumed, and whilst not particularly concentrated it has an attractive lifted floral and violet note. Refreshing and delicate with ripe fruit, silky tannins and fairly restrained oak in balance. Too young but already appealing. In contrast the 2006 Valli Bannockburn Pinot Noir has less perfume and more force; dense, blackberry and plum. The palate has a core of dark fruit and the tannins are more pronounced. Bigger and more powerful than the Gibbston but less elegant. Impressive length and concentration suggest this wine needs a little longer. A very different style from the Gibbston but just edges ahead in points because of extra texture and length. The Central pinots make a fascinating contrast to the 2006 Valli Waitaki Pinot Noir, a wine which has a noticeably more developed colour. The nose offers baked crumble and stewed rhubarb notes with some wild strawberry and raspberry. Light and fresh on the palate with an underlying stalky edge. Waitaki has been heralded as a potentially very exciting region; perhaps this will prove to be true but at the moment the more established Central regions seem to offer more.

Fairhall Downs (www.fairhalldowns.co.nz)

The 2006 Fairhall Downs Single Vineyard Chardonnay is very pale in colour with a light, fresh aroma of ripe apple and citrus with a hint of nuttiness. The palate is bright and clean, the fruit driven flavours underpinned by subtle oak. Not particularly complex or concentrated but offering a creamy bright fruit flavour. The 2006 Fairhall Downs Pinot Noir is quite developed, the nose already showing dark berry and spice with a touch of forest floor creeping in. The palate is sweetly fruited and has an appealing silky texture showing very little tannin. If anything the palate is a little too smooth; the wine is attractive but just lacks a savoury edge that would add interest ? Both wines are well made but a touch expensive.

Morton Estate (www.mortonestatewines.co.nz)

The back label of the 2006 The Marchioness of Morton Sauvignon Blanc describes the wine as being made ‘using methods similar to the whites of Graves and Pessac Leognan'. Presumably this means the wine had a period of oak ageing and some lees stirring but surely such statements invite direct comparison with the white wines of Bordeaux and as such, this Marlborough Sauvignon is found wanting. On the nose, the oak is subtle, almost indiscernable, and instead asparagus, green capsicum and cut grass aromas dominate. The palate is crisp and dry with noticeable crunchy acidity. The 2006 Morton Estate Viognier is an attractively scented wine with hints of blossom, peach and apricot. The palate is silky with a certain viscosity and an appealing musky, almost spicy flavour. Although only 13.5%, there is a whoosh of warm alcohol on the finish which carries the flavours on. Although there are finer examples of NZ viognier out there, this is a very commendable effort, showing good varietal character, well priced and an excellent introduction to the variety. The fruit for the 2006 Morton White Label Pinot Gris comes from Hawke's Bay Kinross Vineyard. Light pears and slightly softly creamy quince and peach on the nose; light and slightly insipid palate, moderate length, this is a fairly disappointing and undistinguished effort from the usually reliable Morton Estate.

Te Awa Winery (www.teawa.com)

From the number of new wines we have received, it would appear that the shelves will soon be groaning with ‘new wave' barrel-fermented sauvignon blanc. The 2006 Te Awa Barrel Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of three distinct portions; 50% barrel fermented, 35% that was fermented in regular stainless steel and the added twist of 15% fermented in custom-made stainless steel barrels to give added texture and complexity through lees contact but presumably without oak or oxidative influence (otherwise why not just use very old barrels?). The result is an appealingly fresh nose, with only subtle oak influence, showing tropical fruit and fresh mown grass. The palate does show extra fullness and texture, presumably from the barrel-fermentation (both oak and stainless) although mercifully the oak remains a very subtle background presence rather than overwhelming the fruit. Finely-tuned acidity keeps balance and interest and there is good length. This is an attractive wine and should be interesting to try in a year or two to see how it has developed.

Saint Clair (www.saintclair.co.nz)

Post ‘Sideways', Merlot has come in for something of a hard time. Certainly poorly made, inexpensive Merlot can be a sorry affair; bland and weedy. Thankfully the 2006 Saint Clair Merlot is a cheery wine; charry plums and stewed rhubarb with light vanillin oak. Thankfully no green or unripe notes as can frequently be seen in Marlborough Merlot, particularly at this price point. The palate is moderate weight and intensity with savoury plummy fruit, again some light oak and pleasantly dry cedar finish. Though not complex, this is a reasonably sophisticated wine, particularly for the price point. The 2006 Saint Clair Rapaura Reserve Merlot is a step up in quality (and price). The nose is dense and savoury with lifted aromas of dark plum, mocha and chocolate. The palate is sweetly fruited with a slightly drying background of tannin and extract. Quite noticeable new oak adds a vanilla, spicy edge but in no way overwhelms the fruit. Moderate length. If there is a reservation this Merlot is a bit dull however, you could certainly do a lot worse and at this price point it does still offer reasonably good value. On reflection, perhaps we'd save ourselves $5 and buy the standard Marlborough label instead. The 2006 Saint Clair Pinot Noir has a floral, light nose, slightly perfumed whilst the palate is simple yet attractive, sappy, not too extracted. A pretty little wine, not much complexity but nicely made, straightforward Pinot. The 2006 Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Pinot Noir has a slightly stewed plums character with distinct herbal edge, smoky, savoury and a bit more dense but no real silkiness. Medium-bodied and with decent length if a little grippy round the edges.

Nobilo Wine Group (www.nobilo.co.nz)

Was this wine made as a cynical marketing exercise to cash in on the America's Cup ? The 2006 The Jibe Latitude 41° Pinot Noir has an undistinguished nose, with a hint of tomato (sauce, not leaf), soft, slightly bland sweet fruit, moderate acidity but slightly tart against fruit. There is some Pinot character but isn't light and pretty, nor strong and savoury; not a badly made wine but just a boring one. Hardly a showcase for New Zealand Pinot, or even a satisfying example of good value Marlborough Pinot. The 2006 Nobilo Icon Pinot Noir has a bright cheerful colour with an aroma of cherry and red berry and a touch of forest floor. Nice bright fruit flavours though perhaps a little too much oak - the flavour of vanilla lingers after the fruit has faded. A decent effort.

From the Cellar . . .

I found this bottle whilst tidying up my cellar. The basic white label release it retails for around $20 and I didn't hold out great hopes, expecting that I had missed its optimum drinking window. How wrong I was. The 2004 Trinity Hill Shiraz has matured beautifully, retaining distinct cracked pepper and dark berry and plum aromas but also developing a savoury, almost meaty quality. With 13.0% alcohol this is is no blockbuster, but an elegant, stylish wine that is at its peak now. And so much more enjoyable than some of the overworked, tannic (and frankly overpriced) Syrahs now beginning to emerge from Hawke's Bay. (JS)

Peaking now although it should hold for a year or so yet, this is an elegant, textural Pinot Noir with a very appealing savoury complexity. Herbal hints mingle with cherry, strawberry, light plum and plenty of spice (cinnamon, clove, allspice) and there is a lovely sappiness, finely balancing the ripe fruit, restrained yet ripe and lengthy. Possibly won't be everyone's cup of tea style-wise but for me, this is the sort of wine I look forward to drinking rather than just tasting. (EJ)

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