June marks the start of winter in the southern hemisphere and also the shortest day. Weather can often be cold and grim, and similarly June brought few rays of sunshine in our wine samples. The month's tastings left us with a lot of 14.0-16.0 scores with only a smattering of gems to lighten the day. It is at times like these that you begin to question your own palate, but then when a cracker of a wine comes along, you breath a sigh of relief and realise that yes folks, it's a big and often mediocre world of wine at there...
Hewitson Wines (www.hewitson.com.au)
Jane Skilton
2006 Lulu-V Viognier
2006 Miss Harry Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre
2006 Ned and Henry's Shiraz
2006 The Mad Hatter Shiraz
2004 Old Garden Mourvedre |
Victoria
Barossa
Barossa
McLaren Vale
Barossa
|
$25.00
$28.00
$31.00
$60.00
$57.00 |
16.5
17.0
18.0
18.5
17.0 |
Dean Hewitson started out in the wine industry in 1984, working in Western Australia, the Hunter Valley and at Petaluma. In 1998 he decided to branch out on his own and started Hewitson Wines, basing himself in an old, disused central Adelaide dairy. Rather than invest in vineyards of his own, Hewitson has concentrated on sourcing fruit from the Adelaide Superzone (Clare, Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley, Eden Valley etc) from growers he knows well. The standout feature of Hewitson red wines is the inclusion of fruit from old vine vineyards, an ingedient not to be underestimated. In a world obsessed with aromas, often the texture and concentration of the palate are overlooked. Hewitson wines aren't showy or flash, but crafted and complex.
I first met Hewitson a couple of years ago and had tasted previous vintages of his red wines and was so impressed the Miss Harry GSM that when Emma and I travelled through Mornington Peninsula I persuaded her to order a bottle off a restaurant wine list - no mean feat in itself. I thought Hewitson to be an extremely likeable fellow, passionate and committed.
But this latest tasting got off to a rather uncertain start when I queried why Hewitson had made his viognier in such an early picked, light style? He countered strongly and said one of his strongest beliefs is that most viogniers are too rich, overblown and out of balance and that he wanted to make a viognier that wasn't as cloying or alcoholic as those already on the market. As a fan of the richer, strongly textural styles I was slightly unsure of his reasoning. Perhaps as the Australian market is crying out for fresher lighter styles of white wine - after all NZ sauvignon blanc is a runaway success across the Tasman - it may make good marketing sense to offer a crisper style of wine but I am not sure Viognier is the grape to choose for this? The 2006 Hewitson Lulu-V Viognier is made from fruit grown in the Grampians and is early harvested to retain acidity and freshness. A rich lemon colour, the nose has apricot kernel and ripe nectarine but lacks the jasmine and honeysuckle of later picked examples. At first the wine seems quite closed and unrevealing but as it warms up, reveals a biscuity, nutty aroma, even though the wine sees no oak. The palate is crisp and crunchy, rather than silky and fat, but the flavours are ripe and there is a strong textural element. There is a thread of lime acidity running through the palate and a fairly long finish. Only 12.5%, this is a refreshing, lighter style of viognier, though I have to admit, not particularly to my taste. But well made nonetheless.
The oldest vine material in the 2006 Hewitson Miss Harry Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre is from the 1880s, from a shiraz vineyard in Barossa Valley. Mid ruby in colour, the nose offers up dark cherry, plum, with fragrant violets but an undertow of meat, licquorice and salami. Very drinkable; generous, ripe, almost fleshy fruit flavours, just a touch of dry, earthy tannin in the background. Quite warming but balanced with a medium plus finish. Absolutely ready to drink though would still continue to improve.
(NB Hewitson has planted some cinsault in the hope that in the next few years he'll be able to add another dimension to the Miss Harry).
The 2006 Hewitson Ned and Henry's Shiraz has a deep, almost opaque youthful ruby colour. The nose is packed with rich dark plum, blackberry and damson aromas, no sign of that slightly baked character that can appear in some Barossa Shiraz. Hint of fresh blood and dark chocolate. On entry the palate is dense and glossy with oak kept very much in the background, but then the ripe tannins kick in, adding structure and balance, and providing a framework for the fruit. Great length. A powerful wine that manages to retain freshness and vibrancy.
A single vineyard wine, produced from 45 year old McLaren Vale Blewitt Springs shiraz vines, the 2006 Hewitson The 2006 Mad Hatter Shiraz has a beautiful opaque deep purple colour. The nose has the wonderful McLaren Vale aroma of dark chocolate and crème de cassis, with almost a crème brûlée richness. New French oak adds cedar and nutmeg complexity. The palate is dense with extraordinary weight and richness of dark berry fruit and a faint hint of black pepper. The oak adds structure whilst never overwhelming the fruit and the tannins are silky and ripe. A long, lingering finish.
The fruit for the 2004 Hewitson Old Garden Mourvédre comes from an old Barossa vineyard planted in 1853 and never replanted (it is possibly the oldest mourvédre vineyard in the world). As a single vineyard wine it is very vintage dependent and in 2004 a burst of very hot weather added an extra dimension of flavour, an almost candied orange peel/mocha edge. A medium ruby colour, deep in the core. Earthy, meaty, leather and wood smoke, a world away from the fruit focussed character of the other shirazes in the line-up, it is lighter in texture with softer tannins. Some bottle developed characters starting to emerge; meat and worn leather with a real old vine character. Medium plus length.
This range of wines was one of the most enjoyable line-ups I have tasted in a long time. The defining feature of all the red wines tasted was the depth and complexity that comes from the inclusion of old vine material. In a country with a rich winemaking history, but where the average age of grapevines is under ten years, these are wines of distinction.
I have replayed in my mind the discussions regarding the Lulu-V Viognier but as Hewitson has his preference, so I have mine. But if I see the red wines on a restaurant list again, I shall have no hesitation I ordering a bottle.
Neudorf (www.neudorf.co.nz)
| 2006 Tom's Block Pinot Noir |
Nelson |
$31.00 |
18.0 |
From one of New Zealand's most highly regarded wineries, comes this new release pinot noir. Some screwcapped wines seem to hold tightly onto their aroma, not wanting to release, but the
2006 Neudorf Tom's Block Pinot Noir positively explodes from the glass. Lifted cranberry, wild raspberry, violets and dark cherry aromas with a tantalising whiff of mushroom and forest floor already starting to emerge. The palate is rich and sensuous with warmth coming from concentration not alcohol, laden with fruit but also a thread of acidity and tannin. The lasting impression is of sweet silkiness with a long, lingering finish. An uncomplicated wine, to be enjoyed whilst the more 'serious' Moutere and Home Vineyards bottlings mature.
Twin Islands Wines
2007 Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Chardonnay
2007 Pinot Noir |
Marlborough
Marlborough
Marlborough |
$18.00
$18.00
$18.00 |
15.0
15.5
14.0 |
The Twin Islands range is made by the team at Nautilus Estate and is presumably aimed at the everyday wine drinker. The
2007 Twin Island Sauvignon Blanc has a lightly aromatic nose, clean and correct with touches of green capsicum, tropical fruit and a hint of spearmint. The palate is crisp and bright with balancing acidity, just a touch of sweetness filling out the palate. The
2007 Twin Islands Chardonnay has a citrus, peachy aroma with just a little evidence of oak in the cedar, nutmeg notes. The palate is ripe and generous, again a touch of sweetness filling out the flavour. Another clean, correct wine. The
2007 Twin Island Pinot Noir has a pale ruby colour and a nose of tinned strawberry and cranberry. The palate is light and fresh, not overly varietal, with a slightly sour cherry finish. The least interesting of the wines but then inexpensive Marlborough Pinot rarely excites.
Richmond Plains (www.richmondplains.co.nz)
2007 Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Blanc de Noir
2006 Pinot Noir |
Nelson
Nelson
Nelson |
$19.95
$19.95
$19.95 |
15.5
14.5
14.0
|
Just as Nelson is to the left of Blenheim geographically, so stylistically, Nelson Sauvignon Blanc is one step to the side of its better known Marlborough cousin. The
2007 Richmond Plains Sauvignon Blanc has a very aromatic nose but its spectrum is different to a typical Marlborough offering - more greengage plums, candied pineapple and fresh hay rather than grass. The palate of this wine isn't quite as lushly fruited as the nose might lead you to expect, and the wine pulls up short and rather phenolic. Tending towards fuller-bodied in style for the variety but unfortunately in this example, ultimately slightly unsatisfying.
Blanc de Noir (white wine from red grapes) is a style not commonly seen in still wines in this country and one would have to ask what made Richmond Plains choose to use their pinot noir grapes in this way rather than the presumably more marketable standard incarnation or even in the increasingly fashionable rosé. The obvious answer is as a saignée wine to concentrate their pinot juice but this isn't clearly the case according to the winery's website notes, which don't seem to shed too much light on the decision. The
2007 Richmond Plains Blanc de Noir offers an interesting slightly aromatic nose, although it is difficult to really pull out any particular distinctive aromas; the palate is quite sweet but again there is a disappointing absence of real fruit intensity. Neither Arthur nor Martha, this would probably appeal to those who like slightly sweet, generically fruity wines but at $20 seems to be a bit on the steep side for the privilege. The
2006 Richmond Plains Pinot Noir has a rather odd nose with slight whiffs of VA, over-ripe fruit and dried tobacco but enveloped in creamy vanillin oak. The palate has moderate intensity but also a slightly unattractive sweet and sour character with a rather cloying sweetness mixed with stemmy, sour acid notes. Not altogether a successful mix.
Matahiwi Estate (www.matahiwi.co.nz)
2007 Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Unoaked Chardonnay |
Wairarapa
Hawke's Bay |
$18.00
$18.00 |
15.0
14.5 |
The 2007 Matahiwi Sauvignon Blanc is a pungent, vibrant wine with a hint of fresh curry leaf, candied fruit and pineapple. Initially the wine starts out fresh and bright but then there is a stemmy, stalky note that creeps in giving a slightly tough finish.
An increasingly popular style, unoaked chardonnay can vary considerably in style from producer to producer. The 2007 Matahiwi Unoaked Chardonnay is a fruit driven, if slightly austere, wine with plenty of citrus fruit and grassy notes on both the nose and palate. The finish has prominent acidity, almost reminiscent of sauvignon blanc and the wine overall has little to make it stand out from other better examples to be found on the shelves.
Walnut Block Wines (www.walnutblock.co.nz)
2007 Blicks Lane Sauvignon Blanc
2006 Pinot Noir |
Marlborough
Marlborough |
$29.00
$18.00 |
14.5
14.0 |
The
2007 Blicks Lane Sauvignon Blanc has a very sweet passionfruit and pineapple/guava nose, a faint hint of armpit, very aromatic and definitely sweetly fruited, the palate however is disappointingly thin and slightly short. The
2006 Walnut Block Pinot Noir is very pale, soft, light - these three adjectives seem to apply to the colour, nose and palate. Rather innocuous, nothing offensive but just no real oomph to it. Even taking into account a wine made in a lighter style, there is very little distinguish it.
Two Sisters (www.twosisters.co.nz)
2007 Riesling
2006 Pinot Noir |
Central Otago
Central Otago |
$24.00
$36.00 |
15.5
16.5 |
The
2007 Two Sisters Riesling has a very youthful aroma - limey, faint mineral notes, some white flowers, very cleanly fruited. A medium style, with a slightly ‘heavy' palate, caused seemingly by extra residual sugar and alcohol than actual fruit intensity, although in fairness there is enough ripe fruit in the wine. Peachy palate along with firm, slightly spritzy acid. Moderate length with a faintly apricoty finish. Drinkable but not especially memorable. The
2006 Two Sisters Pinot Noir has a very aromatic quality; spicy, sweetly fragrant nose typical of the region, black cherries, hint of bacon fat, plenty of ripe spicy fruit on the palate. Not an over the top style, but very pretty and appealing. Nicely balanced with good oak integration, it is just lacking a bit in intensity and length to get a higher score but certainly a pleasant and drinkable wine nonetheless.
Alana Estate (www.alana.co.nz)
2007 Riesling
2007 Sauvignon Blanc
2006 Chardonnay
2006 Pinot Noir
2006 Pinot Noir le Coup |
Martinborough
Martinborough
Martinborough
Martinborough
Martinborough |
$28.00
$27.00
$39.00
$60.00
$120.00
|
17.0
15.0
16.5
16.5
17.5 |
The 2007 Alana Estate Riesling has a richly scented nose, lime, peach, citrus blossom, sherbet, with a nice touch of minerality, whilst the palate is definitely off-dry, showing plenty of fruit with nicely steely acidity and pleasing texture and depth. Good intensity and balance makes this is attractive drinking now and suggests moderate to good ageing potential. The 2007 Alana Estate Sauvignon Blanc has a very herbaceous nose, with lots of gooseberry and nettles, but then is surprisingly sweetly-fruited on the palate. In fact, seemingly quite high residual sugar full stop. And indeed, subsequent investigation of the technical notes give this wine at 6g/litre residual sugar which is certainly pretty high for a wine of this quality. Unfortunately this creates an oddly unbalanced sort of experience, with a disjointedness that outweighs the better aspects of the wine such as good texture (although presumably the higher residual is adding a bit here too). Quite a disappointing effort from a region and producer capable of producing much better with this variety.
The nose of the 2006 Alana Estate Chardonnay has a wonderful struck match aroma at first, which then gives way to an underlying mealy, creamy nose with plenty of winemaking influence evident. Citrus, nectarine and white peach. The palate shows similar creamy fatness with some green apple and stonefruit, also some cedar oak. Firm acidity helps to add structure. Though carrying 14% alcohol this is still a well balanced wine, and opens up well in the glass with time, with further mealy nutty notes unfolding. The 2006 Alana Estate Pinot Noir has an incredibly deep colour for the variety, the nose is dark with cherries and plums, sappy hints, cedary oak, and slightly floral (touch of violets). Fairly fragrant nose overall but in a more masculine style than compared with say Central Otago pinots. Lots of dark fruit on the palate but not necessarily especially varietal, (one could easily be led to believe this might be perhaps Merlot or even Syrah on the palate). Quite a bold style but seems to run out of puff in the middle, although quite extracted with it. Liquorice and stewed plums, sappy, stemmy finish. Opens up with time in the glass but retains a certain toughness to which precludes a higher score.
The 2006 Alana Estate le Coup Pinot Noir is the brainchild of the likeable Chris Archer, winemaker for Alana (formerly of Morton Estate), who by all accounts is now fully converted to the joys of both Martinborough and pinot noir. This premium pinot, the flagship of the Alana stable, is deeply hued garnet and plum red, with a rather reticent nose at first which opens up to hints of coffee and biscuit, plenty of ripe black cherry and damson plum, spicy cinnamon and some floral notes, similar to the estate Pinot Noir. Dense ripe fruit on palate but also oddly hollow towards the end and despite being slightly lower in alcohol than its stablemate, seems hotter on the finish. Rich and ripe for sure but seems to lack the intensity, and concentration of fruit you would want at this level (and certainly this price tag) and is a little one-dimensional. Yes, it is youthful but lacking dimension is not a criticism one usually levels at young good cru classé Bordeaux or village Burgundy so why should NZ wines be different? This is a good wine for sure and offers pleasing drinking but at the price being asked one would definitely be hoping for more than that. We wanted to like this wine more than we actually did as we have always enjoyed Chris's company at tastings and certainly his enthusiasm for his new venture is infectious and endearing. But we were left feeling slightly under-whelmed and whilst perhaps our expectations were a little high that is not unreasonable at the price being asked. Certainly with the current trend for the top of the line, spare-no-expense Pinots issuing forth throughout the country, we must beware the 'emperor's new clothes' effect.
Churton Wines (www.churton-wines.co.nz)
2007 Sauvignon Blanc
2006 Sauvignon Blanc
2006 Pinot Noir
2005 Pinot Noir |
Marlborough
Marlborough
Marlborough
Marlborough |
$23.00
$37.00
$23.00
$37.00 |
17.0
17.5
17.0
15.0 |
Churton takes a different approach to Sauvignon from the predominant style in Marlborough and the resulting wines offer a more subtle, textural reflection of the variety. However the
2007 Churton Sauvignon Blanc is surprisingly open and pungent from a self confessed maker of a more restrained style. Guava, mineral and some gooseberry, dry with crisp acidity. The palate is strongly textural with weight and richness of flavour. Really good length. The
2006 Churton Sauvignon Blanc has none of the tinned pea/canned asparagus characters that seem to develop in the sweatier, passionfruit laden styles. The nose is perfumed and delicate with a chalky, spun sugar and talcum powder quality. Still very much alive on the palate with a biscuity, dry finish.
(NB while the 2007 is my preference, the 2006 wine impressed me and what was remarkable was with how well both wines held in the glass and subsequently in the bottle (left on kitchen table for a couple of days then retasted), again with almost no secondary tinned peas etc, characters emerging. It is heartening to see someone producing Marlborough Sauvignon with texture and dimension, subtle yet definitely not boring, and capable of wearing some age. Makes you ask why the rest of the region seems obsessed with churning out big sweet sweaty monsters that fall over after six months in the bottle. EJ.)
The
2006 Churton Pinot Noir 2006 has a bright ruby colour, not showing great depth but with some ageing to rim. Slightly reticent nose; rhubarb, poached plum and red cherry, There is oak but in the background rather than dominating and a smooth ripe fruited palate, finely tuned acid, good palate weight while retaining pinot elegance and good length. Again, a textural wine, subtle and elegant, which seems to be a hallmark of the producer. The
2005 Churton Pinot Noir is a different beastie all together. Much darker hued and with fruits more in the blackberry and dark plum spectrum. Concentration perhaps at the expense of elegance? A chunkier, darker wine, with the tannins slightly poking out, that has less charm than the 2006 and as a result is ultimately not as satisfying.
Montana Wines Terroir Series (www.montanawines.co.nz)
2006 Forgotten Valley
2006 Corbett's Legacy
2006 Gabriel's Gully |
Marlborough
Waipara
Central Otago |
$32.95
$32.95
$32.95 |
15.5
16.6
16.0 |
From Montana comes three new releases from its Terroir series. It was very pleasing to see distinctive regional styles emerging which, of course, is what one would hope for, but which doesn't always seem to be the case. From Marlborough comes the
2006 Montana Terroir Series Forgotten Valley Pinot Noir which has a bright ruby colour, still retaining a hint of violet. The aroma is lifted with dark raspberry, red plum and just a touch of Marlborough's stalky character. The palate is silky and ripe with soft tannins balancing out the ripe fruit flavours. Dark some coffee, cocoa notes from the oak. Absolutely ready to drink. By comparison, the
2006 Montana Terroir Series Corbett's Legacy Pinot Noir from Waipara is spicy and plummy, altogether more fragrant, which follows through on to the palate. Denser and more tannic than the Marlborough wine, chunkier and deeper with rich spicy fruit, a bit of texture and interest, and ripe, sweet berry fruit.
The Gabriel's Gully vineyard is located in the Bendigo sub-region of Central Otago, a region that has gained something of a reputation for producing exotic, densely fruited wine. The
2006 Montana Terroir Series Gabriel's Gully is a little disappointing in this respect; the least forthcoming of the three wines on the nose, dark and brambly with Otago's textbook dried herb and violets, on the palate it lacks a little concentration and power. There is some nutmeggy, spicy oak and the overall impression is this is the driest of the three. Good length.
Trinity Hill (www.trinityhill.com)
2006 Pinot Noir
2006 High Country Pinot Noir |
Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay |
$18.00
$35.00
|
16.0
16.5 |
The first whiff of the 2006 Trinity Hill Pinot Noir offers a distinct touch of rubber, then toasty oak and plummy fruit, thus not making it especially varietal (more like shades of merlot) but in fairness it does have a certain perfumed floral hint one would expect from pinot noir. The palate dominated by vanillin oak which overlays meaty, fairly dense fruit. A style of pinot that won't scare the horses (but probably won't have them galloping back for more either).
Emma has long spoken out against "the abomination that generally is Hawke's Bay Pinot Noir", and so this wine came as a pleasant surprise. The 2006 Trinity Hill High Country Pinot Noir has a touch of forest floor and bramble berries adding varietal character, good palate weight and richness and more than enough fruit to handle the oak (which seems to be a Trinity Hill hallmark), with a nice raspberry and cherry finish. Paradoxically, this wine has more elegance and lightness of touch than the junior version of the pair, although it would be fair to say it is still tending towards the merlot school of pinot noir. Moderate to good intensity and length, finishes slightly creamy, shows nice acid, presumably benefiting from slightly cooler than usual Hawke's Bay climes.
Main Divide (www.maindivide.com)
2006 Riesling
2006 Pinot Noir
2005 Merlot Cabernet |
Canterbury
Marlborough
Marlborough |
$17.95
$17.95
$17.95 |
16.5
16.0
16.5 |
Main Divide's riesling seems to be pretty reliable across vintages, providing an eminently drinkable, good value wine with real typicity. The 2006 Main Divide Riesling doesn't disappoint with a pretty nose, offering floral notes, apricots, lime and citrus blossom, lemon, slight hint of mineral/kerosene. The palate is medium with tingly, citrus acidity balancing out the residual sweetness and carrying only 10.5% alcohol. Almost a touch of toasty, spicy secondary notes developing. Very good length, with a faint hint of botrytis creeping in at the end. Nice aperitif style in particular.
Like the Riesling, the Main Divide Pinot frequently offers pretty good quality and value. The 2006 Main Divide Pinot Noir continues the reliable theme and has a really attractive, dense aroma, full of black plum, blueberry and spice. The palate is fleshy and ripe and has a thread of stemmy, stalkiness running through which is no bad thing and gives the wine focussed. Softish tannins. Already starting to develop some truffley, mushroomy characters and carrying the 14.5% alcohol well. Drinking well now. The 2005 Main Divide Cabernet Merlot has the merest whiff of green bean and capsicum on the nose, pinpointing cabernet in the blend. The palate is firmish and ripe, with nice integration and oak handling. Ripe tannins from both fruit and oak and good length. A cheerful sort of wine. It is pleasing to see someone continuing with this blend when the rest of Marlborough is simply awash with bland, 'join the dots' Pinot Noir.
Stone Paddock (www.paritua.com)
2006 Chardonnay
2006 Sauvignon Blanc
2006 Stone Paddock Late Harvest Semillon 375ml |
Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay |
$19.00
$19.00
$22.00 |
16.5
17.0
15.0 |
The 2006 Stone Paddock Chardonnay has a creamy nose with stonefruit and some light tropical pineapple notes, touch of toasty oak and some light nuttiness. The palate is ripe and rich but nicely restrained, with moderate intensity, not a lot of complexity at this stage but fairly well-crafted and pleasurable to drink, good balance and reasonable length, though slightly hot on finish. The 2006 Stone Paddock Sauvignon Blanc has a restrained nose, herbal, stonefruit, citrus with a slightly chalky mineral undertone. Some subtle oak influence, very well handled as doesn't overwhelm the fruit at all, just adds texture and weight rather than wood. Palate shows light capsicum and herbaceousness against nectarine, peachy fruit; acidity is fresh and bright and well balanced. This is a great example of both a well-made wine and a Hawke's Bay sauvignon being its own thing rather than trying to ape the Marlborough style. The 2006 Stone Paddock Late Harvest Semillon has a faintly musty nose although as it is under screwcap presumably TCA can mostly be eliminated (maybe from barrel or winery?) but there remains a most unfortunate hint of old socks. Definite botrytis influence (almonds, spice and acetone), apricots and honey on nose but the palate is disappointingly light with no real intensity or concentration of fruit and quite insipid on the finish.
Te Mata Estate (www.temata.co.nz)
2007 Woodthorpe Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Woodthorpe Gamay Noir
2005 Woodthorpe Merlot Cabernet |
Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay
|
$19.00
$19.00
$19.00 |
15.5
16.5
17.5 |
The
2007 Te Mata Woodthorpe Sauvignon Blanc offers a light herbal nose, a hint of nectarines and a whiff of reductiveness. The palate starts dry but has an odd touch of perceived sweetness on the finish. Moderately intense stonefruit with some grassy and citrus notes, it is light bodied but does offer pretty good texture which pushes up the score a little. Drinkable, but not particularly interesting or distinguished.
The intriguingly named
2007 Woodthorpe Gamay Noir (is there a Gamay Gris?) is rather cheerful indeed, not a descriptor that one readily associates with Te Mata. Intensely fruity with a wild raspberry and strawberry aroma, an exuberant juicy flavour, light bodied with refreshing acidity.
Te Mata Estate has established a long and rather illustrious history of producing some of the country's best cabernet and merlot based wines and this, the baby brother of the stable is an excellent example why. The
2005 Te Mata Woodthorpe Merlot Cabernet has a strong cassis dominated nose, laced with dark plum and lots of blackberry, underlying cedar and vanillin spice from the oak. Ripe, dense palate, very finely balanced, excellent integration of oak and fruit. Nicely firm, balancing the richness of fruit and giving a very textural element to the palate. This is a youthful wine that offers attractive drinking now, but shows plenty of promise and potential ageing ability. Very well integrated and elegant with it, a textbook example of how these varieties can be executed.
The Ned (www.thened.co.nz)
2007 Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Pinot Gris
2006 Pinot Noir |
Marlborough
Marlborough
Marlborough |
$16.00
$18.00
$27.00 |
17.5
16.5
16.0 |
The
2007 The Ned Sauvignon Blanc has a softly aromatic nose, very herbaceous with lots of gooseberry, green and red capsicum, cut grass, redcurrant and underlying tropical fruit (pineapple, some passionfruit and a thread of blackcurrant leaf). Slight mineral notes add edge and interest. The palate shows similar intensity and range of flavours and seems to ably tread the tightrope between rich fruit intensity and slightly cloying sweetness with aplomb. Lengthy and pleasingly herbal at the end, the finely balanced acidity adds crispness and freshness to the finish. Say what you like about Brent Marris (and, heh, it has all been said), he does know how to make an appealing Marlborough Sauvignon...
Many NZ Pinot Gris leave you wondering why the variety falls into the aromatic classification but that is not the case with the
2007 The Ned Pinot Gris. A pungent nose, very fruit-driven with lots of pears, peach, nectarine, quince, guava and spicy apple showing in the glass. The palate is off-dry, predominantly apple and pears with a nice texture. After the bolder nose, the lighter body of the palate comes as somewhat of a surprise but it is by no means insipid or dull. Rather, it is a clean fruit-driven style, perceivably more Pinot Grigio than Gris, still with good intensity and length. There is a touch of heat on the finish but overall the wine is well balanced. An attractive wine that keeps the focus on the fruit rather than trying to dolly things up with too much sugar.
When first tried, the
2006 The Ned Pinot Noir wine seemed a bit mean and dull, never a good start to a wine, or indeed a tasting note. But it opened up well in the glass with plum, dark cherry and boysenberry fruit emerging, clove and allspice, then sweet vanilla and some coffee from the oak. The palate offers plums, rhubarb and berryfruit (strawberry and blueberries), made in quite an extracted, deep style. Good intensity of fruit, this is well made and offers nice drinking but for all its seeming plushness and fatness on the finish, there was still a certain hardness that the enveloping fruit couldn't quite disguise which brought the final score down in the end.
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