IWM November 2008

 

 
It is hard to open a newspaper or listen to the news without hearing the word 'credit crunch'. What many initially thought was a slight hiccup in the world economy, looks like being a much more serious and deeper recession.
Here in NZ, there is a feeling that we will escape much of the effects of a global slowdown.  But New Zealand relies on exporting much of its wine to overseas markets, especially to those that are being affected to a much greater extent by the events of recent months.
It will be interesting to see what develops in 2009 - until now the NZ wine industry has taken comfort that it has managed to maintain a high quality:high price ratio for its products.  But a very large 2008 harvest and new vineyards coming into production certainly means that some producers will have a tough time in an increasingly competitive market.  
Until very recently we were told that Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was being 'rationed' into export markets and that producers couldn't keep up with demand.  Yet this weekend, the New Zealand Herald carried an article claiming that ;

" it is predicted 20% of 2008 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc will be unsold when the 2009 vintage is harvested. New Zealand Winegrowers was quoted as describing the market as incredibly tough"

If trading conditions can change so very quickly we are in for some interesting times ahead.
 

This month we tasted a smorgasbord of new delights, from high volume, entry level varietal wines, right up to some ambitiously priced 'premium' releases from established wineries. In view of the recession we spent a lot of time discussing, once the wines were unmasked, how producers set their prices. Mahi's barrel fermented Sauvignon Blancs at $24.00 seem an absolute steal. Similarly, Neudorf's Moutere Riesling, one of the best young NZ Rieslings we have tasted, still comes in at under $30.00.

 


 

I was sat in the car, waiting to pick my daughter up from school, when Emma phoned.  
"Have you read Viva?"
"No"
"There must be a mistake.  Guess how much Rod Easthope is charging for his Sauvignon Blanc?"
"I don't know. First vintage, Hawke's Bay, no track record.  Low twenties?"
"$59.90"
"Surely some mistake ?  A typo?"
"Nope, I have already phoned Scenic Cellars"

Our interest piqued, this left us with only one choice. Emma hot-footed it to Scenic Cellars and procured a bottle for the said amount.
 
At the Scenic Cellars Bordeaux Gimblett Gravels tasting dinner, we spied a bottle of the very wine further down the table.  But, in the interests of fairness and independence we didn't taste the wine, preferring to judge it blind, amidst a host of other new release NZ sauvignon blancs, the following day.
And the verdict?

 

Initially the nose is aromatic with notes of white nectarine, lemon peel and almond kernel. Not particularly varietal, it could almost be a lighter style of Rhone (marsanne?) with a faint apricot kernel note. A touch of complexity comes from time spent in older barrels, giving a restrained sweet spice, nutmeg and brioche note. With time, the nose opens out, the nutmeg notes becoming more pronounced. The palate is ripe, no sign of passionfruit but more mineral, gunflint and chalk. Eventually a thread of capsicum and gooseberry gives another hint to the variety. There is texture and weight, though the flavours are still very undeveloped with oak coming through on the finish. There was an indefinable edge to the flavours which I just couldn't pinpoint.

"Pineapple lumps" said Emma triumphantly after we had both wrestled with the palate.
"Exactly" I concurred. The benefits of tasting with a NZ native cannot be underestimated.
 

So what of the wine? Honestly, it is hard to justify the price. Yes, it is interesting wine, and a world away from the textbook Marlborough Sauvignons that have been so successful. But just because it has been aged in barrel, thus presumably giving it a perceived status above and beyond the normal stainless steel-only wines, does that justify a price tag some two to three hundred percent higher than usual? One has to justify a reason for doing so than a few bells and whistles in the winemaking department. Yes it is different but it is not really particularly outstanding in quality nor even particularly individual in its style. Yes, there’s not much to go around, but again…not really much true justification for the price there either. We have no issue with higher priced New Zealand wines but for the country to mature as a serious wine making nation, we need to ensure we back up our prices with quality and/or pedigree to match.




 

 
A new producer from Hawke’s Bay, Dolbel Estate has received some good reviews in the local press so we were intrigued when we unmasked the bottles to find what we had been tasting… They have a winemaker with excellent experience in Tony Pritchard (ex-Church Road) and a long-established vineyard. Unusually for Hawke’s Bay, they specialize in whites, although there are also some red varieties grown in small quantities.  

When first poured, the 2007 Dolbel Estate Sauvignon Blanc had a slightly reduced character, faint burnt rubber. With time this blew off, leaving a light grassy, wet stone aroma. However the palate had a very curious texture, almost like chewing on a piece of grapefruit pith, with only light, lemony fruit flavours. The finish is oddly pithy and very tart. It is a little hard to believe that this wine (which has a slightly masochistic character to the acidity) comes from Hawke’s Bay, where sauvignon usually exists as the fleshier more tropical end of the spectrum. More attractive is the 2007 Dolbel Estate Chardonnay which has some light peach, nectarine and blossom aromas enhanced by nutmeg and spice oak. Creamy silky fruit flavours, ripe and soft. Not particularly concentrated but bright and clean. Unfortunately the wine just finishes a little bit dull. Possibly not bad value for money, but for a winemaker with Tony Pritchard’s pedigree, we could be forgiven for expecting something a little bit more exciting.




 

 

 

The 2008 Amisfield Sauvignon Blanc has a very vivid, lifted fruit aroma: nettles, cut grass, nectarine and spiced passion fruit. Quite a subtle wine though; a portion of the blend spent time in oak, which has given an extra degree of complexity without exerting an obvious character. Lovely acidity, good mid-palate richness and depth. A chalky dense finish with some nice mineral notes. Good length. The 2008 Amisfield Saignée Rosé has a salmon pink colour and light fresh fruit aromas; strawberry, tinned mandarins, interesting. Some residual sugar. Bright fruit. Not especially concentrated but we daresay you would be pretty happy to end up with a glass of this and a platter on the winery’s terrace.

 

 

The nose of the 2008 Mount Dottrel Pinot Gris is all crumble, baked pear and brioche. Silky bright fruit vivid clear pure fruit; some residual sweetness. Warm - the alcohol just coming through on the finish. Textbook NZ pinot gris; clean, clear, perhaps not too exciting but well-made and bright. A solid, uncomplicated wine.  Central Otago rosés can be a bit grim, but the 2008 Mount Dottrel Saignée Rosé has a lovely colour and a nose full of raspberry and strawberry fruit. A touch of residual sugar rounds out the palate and helps offset a faintly pithy finish. Light and clean, a crowd-pleaser.




 

 

 

We discovered a bottle of 05 Riesling lying in the tasting rack which must have been overlooked, so added it in to the tasting, even though the winery is now selling the 2008 vintage. The 2005 Carrick Central Otago Riesling has a nose of subtle citrus fruit with some nice complexity emerging from the bottle age, namely kerosene and honeyed beeswax. Off-dry with a steely mineral edge, it seems pretty good at first but there is something that is just not quite right about the balance - the acidity seeming too prominent and tending to dominate the fruit and leaving one with a slight grimace on the finish. A pity, as it lets down an otherwise attractive wine. The fruit for the 2008 Carrick Sauvignon Blanc comes from a vineyard in Cairnmuir, so is locally sourced. Pretty decent effort, ripe with a delicate crystallized fruit nose; stonefruit and quince. The palate is ripe with crisp acidity. Light textured. 20% is fermented in old French barriques but this isn’t particularly apparent on either the nose or palate. The 2008 Carrick Central Otago Pinot Gris has a very pretty nose; lightly perfumed with a minerally, ripe pear aroma and a touch of lemon peel. A percentage is fermented in old oak – this gives a creamy, leesy edge and adds complexity lifting the wine above the usual one dimensional pinot gris. Very slightly off-dry and with a spicy finish. The 2006 Carrick Central Otago Pinot Noir has a lovely nose with juicy cherries and strawberry jam plus ripe blueberries and spice and some light toasty oak showing. Palate is light to medium-bodied and nicely balanced with cherry/berry fruit and a smidge of cedary spicy oak. Moderate fruit intensity and good length, with a slightly stalky finish. A very nice wine, it has poise and a certain grace and has kept the often over-exuberant Central Otago fruit in check.


 

The 2007 Neudorf Brightwater Riesling has a very pale lemon colour. The nose is quite restrained; some stone fruit, mineral and almost a touch of chalkiness. A smidge of kero and beeswax beginning to develop. Dry; immediately mouthwatering with delicious crisp acidity, followed by real fruit sweetness. Pink grapefruit and lime. Good length. Attractive now though would presumably continue to develop. The 2007 Neudorf Moutere Riesling is also very pale lemon in colour, but the nose and palate couldn't be more different. A wine made very much in the direction of Germany, but whereas some winemakers think that lower alcohol and residual sweetness is all that is needed, this wine very much embraces the mineral, chalky complexity that hallmarks the finest wines coming from the Mosel Saar Ruwer. The nose has a lift of florals; acacia and jasmine with lime and citrus notes. Medium dry, subtle and delicate with taut mineral acidity providing lift and crispness. Great length.  You are left wanting more. And more. Continues to develop and open out in the glass. A great future ahead indeed. 
The trend towards lower alcohol riesling is an increasingly popular one and seems to be producing some very stylish wines. Neudorf has always had an excellent reputation for riesling (all their wines in general really) so it comes as no surprise they have acquitted themselves so well here.

 

 
 

 

 

Winemaker Mike Patterson seems to craft really enjoyable wines without making a song and dance about it. The 2007 Jackson Estate Shelter Belt Chardonnay has an intensely aromatic nose, immediately appealing with aromas in the bran biscuit, oatmeal and stone fruit spectrum. The palate is ripe and full-flavoured with a lovely silky texture. Nectarine, red apple and melon flavours give way to nutmeg and sweet spice oak. Very attractive drinking now. Powerful and complex, concentrated flavours. Fantastic value for money.

The 2007 Jackson Estate Vintage Widow Pinot Noir has an appealing ruby colour, bright and translucent. The nose has lots of crushed cherry, cranberry and some stewed rhubarb, a hallmark it would seem of Marlborough pinot. Soft with a slightly stemmy edge.  We would have awarded a higher score, but the coffeeish oak just slightly dominated the delicate plum and raspberry fruit of the palate. A restrained style, perhaps priced a little on the high side.

The 2007 Mahi Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is an impressive wine. A year older than most of the Marlborough sauvignons currently hitting the shelves, it has balance, complexity and intensity and length, ticking all the boxes for good wine, and it is stylish and delicious to boot. And unlike many NZ sauvignons, it also keeps your interest after more than one glass. A herbaceous style on the nose and palate with excellent depth of fruit. A sophisticated wine, and holding well in the bottle. Mahi uses some barrel fermentation and wild yeast in its production of this wine, which presumably contribute some of the extra depth and complexity, although one does not notice any obvious oak characters in the wine.

But Mahi don’t just stop there in their quest for interesting and stylish sauvignon. The 2007 Mahi Boundary Farm Sauvignon Blanc was, according to the back label, fermented in barrique and then aged for 10 months in barrel. The oak influence is surprisingly subtle, adding just a touch of mealy nuttiness. The aromas are very much in the nettle, grassy, almost peapod spectrum. The palate is quite different; silky, strongly textural with a creamy, leesy influence. Not particularly lengthy but full of interest. The 2007 Mahi Francis Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc has a distinctive nose; hazelnut yoghurt aroma and on the palate is ripe. Again the oak is very subtle and adds complexity rather than swamping the fruit.

We enjoyed both these wines; miles away from textbook Marlborough Sauvignon and proof that it is possible to add complexity and interest without hoofing up the price. Indeed, $24.00 looks positively miserly.

Like many wineries these days, Mahi state that they are making wines that reflect their vineyards’ terroir, etc.  But it is certainly an interesting thing for them to do - three barrel-fermented Marlborough sauvignons in a style that is generally fairly well removed from the majority of wines coming out of the region. Are they also trying to carve out a reputation for barrel fermented sauvignon? Lots of people jumping on this bandwagon but few are successful. However from what we have seen so far, if anyone can make it work and give consumers a different view of Marlborough sauvignon, the clever team at Mahi seems to be heading in the right direction.

 

 

A touch of reduction and quite obvious barrel ferment characters dominate the nose on the 2006 Isabel Estate Marlborough Chardonnay, though there is some light stonefruit and ripe apple underlying. The palate is dry, with good richness of flavour. Starting to show some bottle developed characters; just pulls up a little short and wood dominates slightly.  The 2006 Isabel Estate Marlborough Pinot Noir is a distinct improvement on the previous vintage’s effort, but that is still probably damning it with faint praise. It has quite a pretty nose, with sour cherry, poached rhubarb and a hint of cloves. The palate is light, fruit-driven, but not especially intense or lengthy. The 2006 Isabel Estate Marlborough Noble Sauvage is intensely sweet, and the influence of botrytis has masked any strong varietal sauvignon characters. The palate is strongly reminiscent of Ribena. Not especially worth seeking out.

 

The 2007 Nautilus Marlborough Pinot Noir shows real ripeness on the nose and the perfumed cherry and warm raspberry plus a hint of spice adds up to an attractive first impression; warm raspberry, red plum and a lovely violet perfume. The palate is generous with very rich, sweet fruit: the alcohol and fruit sweetness make it seem very fleshy and lush. This caused a little debate between us as Emma felt it lacked a certain freshness but there is no denying that this pinot would be very appealing to most people.

 

 

 

We tasted the inaugural 1996 vintage of this Central Otago specialist pinot producer last year and were impressed. So we were very interested to see whether those initial favourable impressions were a sign of further good things to come. Again, Grasshopper Rock does not disappoint. From Alexandra, the 2007 Grasshopper Rock Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir's dark ruby colour suggests ripeness and on the nose, the GR has a really ripe strawberry jam, asian spice and nutmeg aroma. Almost exotic in its opulence. The palate is not so developed and a little unresolved right now, though the density and ripeness together with the oak suggests a wine that is intended for the long haul. The palate shows good intensity and the firm acid reins in the fruit’s natural sweetness and adds structure (although isn’t the fulsome fruit bomb that many Central Otago pinots are to begin with). Use of oak is sensitive. A very nice wine and a producer to watch.

 

With their stylish labels and neat marketing story, we hoped to enjoy these wines more than we actually did.  The 2007 Alexia Hawke's Bay Unoaked Chardonnay is a citrus and green apple sort of wine, quite light in style. Medium-bodied and crisp if not particularly exciting. The 2008 Alexia by Jane Cooper Hawke's Bay Rosé doesn’t begin especially promisingly with a slightly reduced nose. A touch earthy with some red fruits. On the palate a bit of residual sweetness and a slightly pithy finish. The 2007 Alexia by Jane Cooper Hawke’s Bay Merlot is the pick of the three and is quite a cheerful wine. A deep ruby colour and a nose full of dark plum and spice. Some drying tannins on the palate, offset by a reasonable degree of fruit sweetness. Quite a simple straight-forward merlot - a drink-now wine.

 
 

 

 

Between the various deals and stoushes of proprietor Peter Yealands, and the major ad campaign trumpeting sustainability, it has been difficult to miss this label’s entry onto the market. Noble indeed is the quest for and promotion of sustainability (and the cynics might say, helpfully also a rather good marketing hook) it is a shame these initial wines we tasted didn’t quite live up to all the fanfare surrounding them, although in fairness these do appear to be the 'entry-level' wines.  The 2008 Yealands Marlborough Riesling has very bright youthful aromas of blossom, jasmine, quince. The palate has very firm acidity, offset by a certain degree of fruit sweetness but little intensity. Pleasant, undistinguished.  The 2008 Yealands Marlborough Pinot Gris has a light aroma, some ripe apple and pear. Not particularly concentrated or complex.  Pleasant quaffer. The 2008 Yealands Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has plenty of green bean and peapod, a real whiff of pyrazines and is green and grassy almost to the point of being unripe, although the palate is surprisingly soft in acid though. Again, as with the riesling and pinot gris, lacks intensity and is tad short. We had to wonder what sort of volumes there are of these wines…

 

 

 

The 2007 Highfield Estate Mill Stream Pinot Noir is dark ruby in colour, giving it an almost jewel-like appearance in the glass. The nose is not especially varietal; at 15% alcohol any subtleties have blown off and instead an exotic, super-ripe aroma of cherry liqueur chocolates, kirsch and allspice. The palate is much fresher than the nose would suggest though the flavours definitely falling into the fleshy, lush spectrum. Just a little bit short. It may not be a pinot for purists but is bound to appeal to those who enjoy full throttle wines, though the fairly hefty price tag may put off some.

 

Winemaker Chris Scott has used a number of techniques to add complexity to the 2007 Church Road Cuve Series Pinot Gris. Extended lees ageing with 30% of the wines going through malolactic gives a nutty, mealy off dry wine. Quite weighty and ripe, the alcohol coming through on the finish. Too young – it would be good to see this wine in a couple of years, and at the moment the alcohol just dominants the finish a little too much to merit a higher score. 

Having won trophies and medals aplenty for the Church Road Reserve Chardonnay, it is interesting to see the difference in the Cuve Series. The 2006 Church Road Cuve Series Chardonnay has an appealing nutty, smoky nose, not too oaky but more of the bran biscuit and creamy butter notes. Creamy, peachy fruit flavours, acidity carrying the profile. Smooth textured and ripe. Not too blowsy but with weight and interest. Good length.

The 2005 Church Road Cuve Series Merlot has good varietal definition with fruit cake, dark berry and plum and a hint of pencil lead and herbs adds complexity. The palate is silky and balanced; there is tannin but not an overwhelming amount. Nicely structured and subtle. From the esteemed 2005 vintage, the wine is still very primary and fresh and only just starting to develop some secondary characters. There is some oak but very much in the background. Stylish with good intensity and nice length, well-balanced, this has good elegance and is an overall attractive wine.

How many winemakers are persevering with a straight Cabernet ? Not many. The nose of the 2005 Church Road Cuve Series Cabernet Sauvignon is not as open as the Merlot; there is cassis and red cherry with a pleasing lift of sappiness. The palate is tight and firm with finely grained tannin cloaking the fruit. Not a blockbuster, at 13% the wine is more aligned with the flavour profile of a wine from the Medoc than the more typical Hawke’s Bay offerings. Perhaps just a little mean spirited on the finish.

 

 

 

A brace of Woollaston wines came with high expectations. Keenly priced and attractively presented, the pick of the pair was the 2008 Woollaston Estate Pinot Gris which had a youthful nose, not showing very much at present save for a hint of stewed pear and apple. Off dry, simple clean fruit flavours. Just a touch hot on the finish, making the wine seem more alcoholic than the 13.5% stated on the label. A certain roundness to the palate; nice drinking but not especially memorable.

The 2008 Woollaston Estate Sauvignon Blanc has a very pungent, bright nose; passionfruit and gooseberry. Crisp crunchy acidity and a hint of CO2 give this wine lift. A slightly pithy, grapefruit-like finish.

 

 

 

It simply wouldn’t be a proper NZ wine show these days without sauvignon blancs from Saint Clair picking up at least several golds, if not a trophy or two. Mind you, with twelve different sauvignons from the one producer (nine of these single vineyard wines), the odds must be better than most. That said, it should not take away from their impressive quality – these are not shrinking violet wines by any means, but it is difficult to doubt their intrinsic class. We were sent three of the Pioneer Block range and while they were all pretty obviously cut from the Marlborough sauvignon cloth, there was no doubting they were also very different wines.

The 2008 Saint Clair Pioneer Block Sauvignon Blanc Block 3, 43 Degrees has a bold nose of cut grass, pineapple with a white pepper lift, red capsicum and white peach. It is very inviting and leads to a crisp palate with lots of stonefruit, some tropical fruit and a nettley/lemony finish. Intense fruit, good balance and a fresh zesty finish. Great length, excellent mouth-feel and fine balance. The 2008 Saint Clair Pioneer Block SB Block 7 Berry Block is a much broader wine that the Block 3, but also seemingly drier with more minerality and citrus character. There is crisp green apple and fresh grass and some nectarine filling out the background. Again excellent balance and length, this time a fine lemony capsicum finish with a faint herbal edge, and again that lovely texture. The final of the trio to be tasted was the 2008 Saint Clair Pioneer Block Sauvignon Blanc Block 18 Snap Block was the most grassy and herbal of the three and also exhibits the most mineral, wet stone character.  Fruit is stonefruit and pineapple spectrum with grapefruit and currant leaf accents. Of the three, it is has the least upfront fruitiness (although that is relatively speaking) and appears to have the highest acid and be the driest, although again this is well balanced. Compared to the other two, it lacked a little in intensity and length but there is still no doubt this is a finely crafted attractive wine.

The very distinct differences in these wines (it would be interesting, if not slightly arduous, to taste all nine single vineyard wines side by side) does seem to justify the seeming conceit of making so many sauvignons from the one producer – may we suggest with our tongues ever so slightly in cheek – that Saint Clair may be channelling a bit of a Burgundian approach to the variety?